Much has already been said about the Las Vegas Raiders quarterback plans after they moved on from longtime starter Derek Carr and signed veteran Jimmy Garoppolo to a multi-year contract.
At the time, the signing of Garoppolo did not take the Raiders out of the quarterback race at the 2023 NFL Draft. The Raiders hold the No. 7 selection, which likely wouldn’t be high enough to take the top QB prospects, but could still land them a high-upside player.
But recent rumors suggest that the Raiders may only take a quarterback in the first round if one of the top two prospects somehow becomes available when the team picks at No. 7, according to Todd McShay of ESPN:
“For those wondering whether Las Vegas could jump on Levis if he’s available, I’ll just say I’ve heard buzz that it isn’t interested in using a high pick on a QB unless Young or Stroud were miraculously available. Bringing in Jimmy Garoppolo fills the void, and the Raiders can always add a passer later in the draft or go hunting for a younger option next year.”
Bryce Young of Alabama and C.J. Stroud of Ohio State are projected to be the first two quarterbacks taken in this month’s draft. There are some rumors about Florida QB Antony Richardson leap-frogging one or both players, but it’s more likely that Young and Stroud go first and second in some order.
None of the three are projected to be available when the Raiders select at No. 7. But even if Richardson or the fourth top QB in the draft class — Kentucky QB Will Levis — are available, it seems the Raiders would reportedly pass.
If the Raiders are set on not taking one of these quarterbacks, this opens the door for a potential trade down if teams below them are desperate to make their QB selection. The latest NFL.com mock draft has the Raiders trading with the Houston Texans for the No. 12 pick and selecting Tennessee right tackle Darnell Wright.
Raiders meeting with Boston College WR Zay Flowers
Another direction the Raiders could go with their first-round pick is wide receiver. Zay Flowers from Boston College is a projected late-first-round pick, meaning the Raiders would likely trade down in order to land him at a more reasonable spot.
The Raiders are meeting with Flowers as part of the pre-draft process.
