Las Vegas Raiders Aidan O'Connell had the best Preseason Week 1 of all rookie QBs
By Brad Weiss
Going into the 2023 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders held the No. 7 overall pick, and in that position, there was no way they were going to get one of the two marquee quarterbacks in the class. Bryce Young from Alabama and CJ Stroud from Ohio State were the unquestioned top-two players in the position group, and in the end, they were selected as No. 1 and No. 2.
In the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, three quarterbacks were selected, with Young landing in Carolina, Stroud landing in Houston, and Anthony Richardson being picked by the Indianapolis Colts at No. 4 overall. Day 2 of the NFL Draft brought rounds 2 and 3, and that day, two more quarterbacks came off the board, Will Levis to Tennessee in Round 2, and Hendon Hooker to Detroit in Round 3.
That brought us to Day 3, where the Raiders held two fourth-round picks. Jakorian Bennett from Maryland came off the board with the No. 2 overall pick that day, and he looks to be a possible starter for the Raiders as a rookie, and then, at pick No. 135, Aidan O'Connell became the eighth signal-caller off the board.
The Raiders selected the Purdue product a few selections after both Jake Haener went to New Orleans, and Stetson Bennett went to Los Angeles to play for the Rams. In Week 1 of the preseason, we got a look at O'Connell in game action, and he outplayed all of the quarterbacks taken before him.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson has been outstanding for the Cleveland Browns through two games, but O'Connell's performance Sunday vs the 49ers was the best of 2023 rookie class in Week 1.