With the NFL Scouting Combine getting underway in Indianapolis a lot of eyes will be on the quarterbacks working out, including the brass of the Las Vegas Raiders. Head coach Antonio Pierce and GM Tom Telesco will be there taking a close look at potential players the Raiders could target in the draft at that position.
USC’s Caleb Williams, UNC’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels are the top-3 prospects and while they will meet with teams, none of them will work out at the combine itself. But there are other potential first-round picks at the position too including Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and Oregon’s Bo Nix.
Whoever the Raiders do wind up drafting, the hope is that they will be the franchise quarterback for years to come. Pierce recently spoke on this, saying the Raiders don’t want a band-aid solution at the position, via Vic Tafur of The Athletic:
“I would hope whoever we draft, that’s the route we go, that’s who the starter becomes,” Pierce said. “You don’t want to put a Band-Aid at that position. That’s old … that’s old, man. I think the Raiders … we’ve seen that enough in this organization.”
That line of thinking would seem to rule out the idea of signing someone like Kirk Cousins in free agency. In Pierce’s eyes, the Raiders want someone who can lead the Raiders for years to come and wants that challenge of trying to take down Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in their division:
“I just want a leader,” Pierce said. “I want a guy that can lead, that wants to compete. I want a guy that’s not afraid of a challenge because this is a big challenge that we have in front of us. We’ve got the world champs in our division again. You know what you have to deal with each and every year as long as you have Patrick Mahomes in our division.
“I want somebody that says: ‘You know what? I am up for that challenge.’ That’s the same way I look at it going against these three coaches in this division.”
Pierce also noted that he would prefer someone with multiple years of success at the collegiate level and a proven winner while adding that the pressure is now on GM Tom Telesco and the front office to identify the right guy. Although of course Pierce will be heavily involved in the process as well as everyone needs to be on the same page.
Antonio Pierce, Raiders meeting with Caleb Williams & Jayden Daniels at NFL Scouting Combine
The Raiders are already at work getting to know the top quarterback prospects as well. Even though they aren’t working out both Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels are at the NFL Scouting Combine and the Raiders are meeting with both of them.
Reports stated that the Raiders were one of many teams who had already met with LSU’s Daniels, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner while also being on the list of teams expected to meet with Williams, the 2022 Heisman winner and presumed top overall pick.
