Raiders mock draft roundup: Day 1 trade lands Las Vegas their franchise QB
By Brad Weiss
Raiders stay at No. 13 in a few recent mocks
Looking around at some other NFL mock drafts, the Raiders seem to be trending towards taking a quarterback on Day 1. In the first mock by the talented Cynthia Frelund from NFL.com, the Raiders stay at No. 13 overall, but still land a potential franchise quarterback in Bo Nix from Oregon.
It was a special season for Nix, as he completed nearly 80 percent of his passes and threw 40-plus touchdowns against only three interceptions. If the Raiders cannot trade up for the top-3 signal-callers, this would be one heck of a consolation prize.
Over at CBS Sports.com, Josh Edwards' latest mock draft has the Raiders turning to the defensive side of the ball. Las Vegas made a great signing during the 2023 NFL season, adding cornerback Jack Jones, and here, they pair him with Toledo star corner, Quinyon Mitchell.
Mitchell dominated the Senior Bowl week, and has firmly placed himself into the first-round conversation. He is excellent in coverage, and is a speedy wideout who can keep up with anybody coming out this year, and should slide right in as a potential starter in Year 1 with the Raiders.
Trevor Sikkema and Connor Rogers, Pro Football Focus
Pro Football Focus had a tag-team approach to their latest mock draft, but the duo of Connor Rogers and Trevor Sikemma likes the Raiders to go the quarterback route as well. Their pick for the Silver and Black is Washington star Michael Penix Jr., whose draft stock has stumbled a bit in recent weeks.
Penix does a lot of things great, and if he can put together a solid Pro Day, he will solidify his place as a top-40 pick this April. If the Raiders are desperate for a quarterback on Day 1, and he is the only one available, I could see Telesco making a play for him.