One common theme that we’ve heard from the Raiders this offseason is that they are going to be aggressive in finding their next franchise quarterback. In a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, the Raiders can’t afford to settle at the most important position.
However, finding their next franchise quarterback is easier said than done. Picking in the middle of Round 1, the Raiders are likely to miss out on the top three quarterbacks in the class. And even J.J. McCarthy (QB4) could end up being selected ahead of where they pick.
In a recent mock draft done by the 32 beat writers at The Athletic, the Raiders missed out on a quarterback in Round 1 and had to “settle” for Texas DT Byron Murphy II. Here is a snippet of what Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed had to say about their selection for the Raiders at pick No. 13:
We’re not going to lie to you and say this draft worked out just like we wanted it to, and that we got our guy. We like Murphy fine. He is the best interior pass rusher in the draft, and he is also good against the run. Pit-bull mentality, Gerald McCoy comp, yada, yada, yada. Great value at 13? Probably not.
Murphy is a really good prospect who deserves to be selected in the top 15 picks. But he isn’t a quarterback. And if the Raiders can’t find a way to trade up, it’s pretty unlikely they will be picking a quarterback in Round 1.
It’s going to be really fascinating to see how Tom Telesco and Antonio Pierce try to find their next franchise passer this offseason.
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