Mailbag: If not Jayden Daniels, which quarterback should Raiders target in NFL Draft?
Well, Las Vegas Raiders fans, we’re officially less than a month away from the NFL Draft and the quarterback conversations are heating up by the day! So, let’s dive into this week’s mailbag.
Question: Matt, if we can’t get Jayden Daniels, but Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy are available, who would you pick if you were Telesco?
Answer: This is an easy one for me, McCarthy. While he’s definitely the biggest project of the bunch, I like his potential and the fact that he just turned 21 in January gives him a higher ceiling than the two older guys. I’m a fan of McCarthy’s arm talent, ability to throw on the run and athleticism which is enough to put him as QB4 for me. Plus, I’ve been impressed with his maturity and leadership for such a young player.
If the Michigan product isn’t available though — which I think he won’t be — I’d lean toward Penix over Nix. Those two were pretty close to each other, in my eyes, to begin this process and Penix has performed better in events like the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine to give him the nod for me.
A: Probably not. I still think Penix will be the fifth quarterback drafted, but he’ll likely be a mid- to late-first-round pick, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Raiders try to trade back in the first to get him if they pass at 13.
A: I definitely want them to upgrade at right guard and right tackle, or at least bring in some competition for Thayer Munford Jr. There aren’t many free-agent options available at this stage in the game, but Connor Williams, Mekhi Becton and Dalton Risner would be worth kicking the tires on.
Williams has been playing center over the last two seasons, but he lined up at guard during the first four years of his career. However, it seems like his health is an issue as he has a long injury history and is coming off of a “pretty significant” torn ACL, per his agent via Pro Football Talk.
Becton also has an injury history and questions about his work ethic, but he has plenty of talent that it could be worth bringing him in on a short-term deal to see what he can do. As for Risner, most people agree that he’s a quality starter but this is the second year in a row that he’s been available later in free agency. So, it seems like something is going on with him that hasn’t been made public.
Additionally, I’d like to see them bring in a cornerback who can step in and fill the CB1 role. Again, there aren’t exactly a ton of options right now, but Stephon Gilmore and Steven Nelson are intriguing free agents. Both guys are older and don’t bring much future value, but both also played well last season and could be worth a one-year flier.
A: That does seem to be the direction they are heading in. I know this isn’t exactly an inspiring scenario since Marcus Peters didn’t work out last season, but I could see a similar situation as a year ago where they bring someone in late. Hopefully, the veteran they sign will actually play with some effort this time, though.
Maybe I’m looking into this too much, but Antonio Pierce was seen talking with Terrion Arnold at Alabama’s pro day, and Arnold talked about how they had a good conversation during their meeting at the NFL Combine. So, it certainly seems like the corner is on the Raiders’ radar with the 13th overall pick, meaning the team’s brass could be waiting to see if he falls to them in the draft before signing a veteran corner. Of course, this is assuming they pivot away from taking a quarterback with that pick.
