At No. 7, the Raiders are likely to miss out on the top two quarterbacks in this class; Bryce Young (Alabama) and C.J Stroud (Ohio State). But if they want to pick a passer with their top pick, they do have another option.
One of the most common picks in mock drafts right now is pairing Florida QB Anthony Richardson with the Las Vegas Raiders. Of all the quarterbacks in this class, Richardson has the most upside. He might just have the best arm of the group and he is certainly the most athletic.
That’s why we are seeing him mocked to the Raiders so frequently as we know that they love to pick for upside in the first round. In a recent mock draft by Luke Easterling of the Draft Wire, that’s who he had the Raiders picking at No. 7. Here is his reasoning behind the selection:
“The Raiders are obviously moving on from Derek Carr, and while they’re likely to pursue a veteran starter for the short-term, Richardson’s long-term upside might be higher than any other passer in this draft. Sitting behind an experienced starter for a year would be the perfect scenario to help him maximize his rare talent.”
There is no doubt that Richardson has the highest ceiling of the quarterbacks due to his arm talent and rushing ability. But he also has the lowest floor after only full year of starting at Florida. It would certainly be a risk taking him that high in Round 1, but it might be worth it for a team trying to compete with the Chiefs and Chargers in the AFC West.
