With the NFL Combine officially kicking off this week, this is the time of the year when rumors and draft buzz runs rampant. The good news is that it might help with the accuracy of mock drafts as we are less than two months away from the 2023 NFL Draft.
The current belief is that the Raiders will use their top pick to select a quarterback in April’s draft. But which one might they decide to go with at No. 7?
In a recent mock draft by Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus, he had the Raiders selecting Kentucky QB Will Levis at pick No. 7. Here is his explanation behind the selection:
“With Derek Carr out the door, the Raiders will need to invest in a quarterback Josh McDaniels can hitch his coaching wagon to. I don’t think that will come in the form of a quarterback available in free agency or via trade (don’t think they’ll make a big move for Aaron Rodgers). Levis at least gives them some significant upside to buy into.”
It’s also worth mentioning that Sikkema had the Raiders selecting Clemson LB Trenton Simpson in Round 2 as they look to add more speed and athleticism to their linebacker corps. But the story here is Levis, who has become a frequent pick by the Raiders in mock drafts.
Levis has some Matthew Stafford-like traits to his game, but his overall accuracy needs to be cleaned up. But if this is the pick the Raiders decide to make at No. 7, he would give the offense a jolt of life with his athleticism and arm strength.
Expect the Raiders to have significant interest in Levis and the rest of the quarterbacks in this year’s class as they look to adequately replace Derek Carr this offseason.
