It’s no secret that the Raiders have a significant need at quarterback. But how they plan on addressing it will be fascinating moving forward. Do they just roll with Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew for another year? Or do they get wild in Round 1?
In a recent seven-round mock draft done by Matt Miller of ESPN, he had the Raiders addressing their quarterback need early by selecting Oregon QB Bo Nix at pick No. 13. Here is his reasoning behind the pick:
The Raiders signed veteran Gardner Minshew in free agency and have Aidan O’Connell returning but are still in position to add a starting-caliber quarterback if one is available in Round 1. Nix, who started 61 games in college, threw 113 touchdown passes and ran for 38 more scores over five seasons.
He would give the Raiders’ offense the dual-threat aspect it needs for new coordinator Luke Getsy. The Raiders could also be in play for a right tackle or wide receiver at this spot after being quiet on the offensive side of the ball in free agency.
Nix is widely viewed as the No. 5 or No. 6 quarterback in the 2024 class and spending the No. 13 pick on him seems a bit rich. But if the Raiders are that desperate to upgrade their quarterback room, it’s possible that Nix could go early in Round 1.
However, if the Raiders were sold on Nix, then a trade-down would seem like the right move. There aren’t many teams with quarterback needs below the Raiders and dropping down ten or so spots and then picking Nix might be the best option. But keep an eye on Nix to the Raiders to see if that idea picks up more steam in the next few weeks leading up to the draft.
