The Raiders are back in the quarterback market again this offseason after whiffing on the Jimmy Garoppolo signing. Aidan O’Connell had a solid rookie season, but it’s clear that he isn’t the long-term starter in Las Vegas.
That means the Raiders could draft a quarterback this year, but that could prove to be difficult with the No. 14 draft. But what if they waited until Round 2 to select a passer?
In a recent two-round mock draft by Dane Brugler of The Athletic, he had the Raiders selecting Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. in Round 2. Here is a snippet of his reasoning behind the selection:
Probably the most polarizing quarterback in the draft, Penix was an outstanding college passer, but there are several areas of his game (and medical history) that complicate his projection. The Raiders shouldn’t be giving up on Aidan O’Connell, but they need to add new life to the quarterback room and see how it plays out.
The Raiders graded J.C. Latham (Alabama) in Round 1 to help rebuild the offensive line, but the selection of Penix later in the draft is more intriguing. Most draft experts believe that he will be selected inside the top 50 and the Raiders might end up being the perfect landing spot for the Pac-12 star.
