Las Vegas Raiders could steal Arkansas QB Feleipe Franks in 6th Round

Depending on what happens during draft weekend, the Las Vegas Raiders could steal a potential starting quarterback in the sixth round.

There should be little debate on who will be the Raiders’ starting signal-caller next season. Derek Carr is by far the best option on the team right now despite Marcus Mariota’s impressive showing. The small sample by ‘8’ certainly warrants an opportunity to be the backup but make no mistake, this is Carr’s team, for now.

In what’s shaping up to be a pivotal, potentially make-or-break year for Carr, there’s nothing wrong with the team’s brain trust preparing for the future. Head coach Jon Gruden brands himself a ‘QB guru’ and with Feleipe Franks, he could have an interesting pupil.

Snagging Franks in the sixth round is even more feasible when you consider Mariota still holds trade value come draft time. Say Mariota’s traded for a late-round pick, the team can pick up Franks to sit behind Carr for a year, maybe two. During his time in Florida and Arkansas, Franks compiled a noteworthy stat line.

Particularly, he accumulated 55 touchdown passes in the SEC while averaging 7.8 yards per pass attempt. His completion percentage saw a major improvement in his final collegiate year for the Razorbacks. He went from 59 percent in his three years with Florida to 68.5 in his senior year with Arkansas.

Pro Football Focus was also impressed with Frank’s 2020 performance, earning a 79.1 passing grade for his efforts. At six-foot-six and 228 pounds, he’s a physical specimen that while raw as a passer, has the physical foundation in place. At this year’s Senior Bowl, he threw three passes that went for more than 20 yards and threw an impressive touchdown completion to Kenny Yeboah.

For those of you concerned about hand size, something frequently brought up with Carr, Franks measured 10″ during the game.

The biggest enticement for Gruden to take Franks will be his cannon for an arm. In fact, during his senior campaign, Franks threw for seven touchdowns of more than 20 yards per PFF. Unfortunately, his setback going into the NFL will be the polishing he needs as a passer. This is especially true in the short gain, his passer rating dips on short passing situations at 69.3.

On the other hand, Gruden could have Franks sit and work on his game while Carr plays out the final stretch of his contract. Perhaps, Franks could be the one to make use of Henry Ruggs III and truly begin to stretch the field, opening up things for the bevy of offensive weapons the Raiders figure to have.