Oakland Raiders: Draft Options at Quarterback

Dec 7, 2013; Fresno, CA, USA; Fresno State Bulldogs quarterback Derek Carr (4) prepares to throw a pass against the Utah State Aggies in the third quarter at Bulldog Stadium. The Bulldogs defeated the Aggies 24-17. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Derek Carr (6′ 3″ and 220 lbs.)- Fresno State Bulldogs

This guy is flying under the radar of most NFL Scouts an Teams.  The reason, his older brother is David Carr.  Yes, we all remember the first round draft pick who was taken first overall by the Houston Texans in the 2002 NFL Draft.  He hasn’t amounted to much, other than a solid backup.  Admittedly, David Carr stated he was not ready for the pressure of being the starter and the savior of an organization.  He needed time to develop.  He also says his brother Derek is better than he was, and he will help to mentor his brother through his NFL career.

Well enough about David Carr, let’s talk some Derek Carr.  This guy is a stud!  He was Fresno State’s quarterback and he started part of his Freshman year and all of his next three years.  During that time, he racked up very good numbers.  He had a 66.7% completion rate, threw for 12,843 yards, 113 touchdowns, and only threw 24 interceptions.  Not to shabby.  For those of you doing the math, that’s nearly 5 touchdowns to 1 interception over his four-year career at Fresno State.

This kid is deadly accurate with his deep balls.  If anybody ever wanted an Al Davis heave-the-ball down the field with accuracy style of player, this is the guy.  Furthermore, he has a lot of mobility when the pocket breaks down.  He has very good footwork in the pocket, and he goes through his progressions very fast.  He makes quick decisions and has a quick release.  He reminds me a lot of Andrew Luck with a bit of Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers mixed in.  For those of us older generation guys, I would say he reminds me a lot of Bart Starr, Ken Stabler, Steve Young, and maybe some Johnny Unitas.

If you haven’t already heard, the Oakland Raiders General Manager Reggie McKenzie and Head Coach Dennis Allen are both attending his Pro-Day.  That day is today, March 20th.  I imagine they may take the kid out to dinner for a private meet and greet?  In my opinion, this is the best option for the Raiders.  He is a hard-working tough player who has the ability to lead his team down the field at the end of the game for the win.  Not to mention that he is not on many teams clip boards as a draft option.  Therefore the Raiders may be able to sneak away with picking him up with their 2nd round draft pick.  However, don’t be surprised if the Raiders take him at #5 or trade down to say #7 or #8 and still pick him up.  Don’t believe me?  Check out some of Derek Carr’s highlights in this video provided courtesy of YouTube: