The Las Vegas Raiders could go several different ways with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, but is a QB inevitable?
After a 2022 season that yielded only six wins for the Las Vegas Raiders, the Silver and Black hold the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. This offseason, Las Vegas has done a nice job adding talent via free agency, but they have not really swung for the fences like they did in the trade for Davante Adams last offseason.
Instead, the front office has added guys on a bunch of one-year deals and added a veteran quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo on a team-friendly three-year deal. While Garoppolo was a solid signing, he is not the future in Las Vegas, which means they could roll the dice on a quarterback in this April’s NFL Draft.
As you look around the internet, you will see tons of mock drafts that have the Raiders selecting a quarterback in the first round, but is it inevitable that the franchise will do it?
Expect the Raiders to look at all top 2023 QBs this draft cycle
The Silver and Black hold solid draft capital, as they have five of the first 109 picks this April. That is the kind of draft capital that could give them the ability to move up in the first round, especially if they fall in love with one of the top-3 quarterbacks in this year’s draft class.
Most mock drafts have CJ Stroud and Bryce Young as the first two quarterbacks off the board this April, but Anthony Richardson has been rocketing up draft boards as well. Will Levis is the kind of quarterback that will make plenty of scouts turn their heads as we inch closer to the first round, but Las Vegas may be able to stay at No. 7 and get him.
Overall, with four top-tier quarterbacks available, and the team picking No. 7, they will likely have to move up to get one of them. There are plenty of QB-needy teams in the NFL, and all four of these quarterback prospects have picked up steam in recent weeks.
Raiders 2023 free agency: 3 more former Patriots who make sense
With the draft approaching, the Raiders still have some holes to fill. These three would be familiar faces to Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler.
Of course, there is also Hendon Hooker, another top quarterback prospect who has been moving up the draft boards entering April. All told, Las Vegas is more likely to select a quarterback in the first round than not, as Garoppolo is outstanding in teaching young signal-callers, and it would put the franchise in a position to have stability at the position for years to come.