As everyone knows by now, the Las Vegas Raiders need a quarterback. But the chances of them grabbing either Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, or even J.J. McCarthy have plummeted. The price to trade up to grab those guys is going to be ridiculous. However, the Raiders can do it; it's just not looking likely.

But if they were to stay at pick No. 13, they could still go for a quarterback. It's less likely to happen, but it's not being ruled out. And, with guys like McCarthy and Michael Penix having higher draft stock now, there are more options for the Raiders to grab a quarterback and not be a reach, per se.

If they were to go with a quarterback, which at this very moment I think the plan they may go with is either an offensive tackle or a cornerback, there are three guys they should target at pick No. 13.

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Three quarterbacks Raiders should target in round one.

J.J. McCarthy, Michigan

Right now, McCarthy is on the fence about whether to be a Tier One quarterback or stay a Tier Two quarterback. His former head coach, John Harbaugh, now the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, has been on record saying he is the greatest Michigan quarterback of all time. Now, I'm not sure if he forgot Tom Brady played there or not, but he does make a great case, considering he just won a National Championship. Granted, he made those comments before Michigan won the championship.

Sure, McCarthy has work to do, but the most intriguing thing we keep hearing is that he has the intangibles, similar to what we heard of Brock Purdy, who is now thriving in San Francisco. He seems like he is a quarterback who could be the guy for a really long time, but not one of those uber-elite quarterbacks in the league, which is fine. He does have some weaknesses, though. Here are those along with his strengths:

STRENGTHS

• Generates outstanding velocity & fits the ball into tight windows. Throws lasers down the seams
• Played in a pro-style offense that attacked the middle of the field
• Works through his progressions & gets to backside reads
• Throws with anticipation & releases the ball before WRs are out of their breaks
• Calm footwork from a clean pocket. Uses quick & controlled movements to evade pressure & climb
• Can reset his base & throw from awkward platforms
• Makes difficult throws as he's getting hit, or with defenders in his face
• Has the athleticism to make defenders miss & win the edge on read-options
• Good accuracy on movement throws. 79.2% on-target rate from outside the pocket
• Young player with plenty of room for development

WEAKNESSES

• Wasn't asked to make many throws in Michigan's run-heavy offense
• Below average touch-passer. Struggles to elevate the ball over hook defenders
• Underthrows sideline shots when he has to put touch on the ball
• Over-confident in his arm talent. Forces the ball into non-existent windows
• Needs to speed up his processing. A tick slow getting to his 2nd/3rd read
• Gets tunnel vision & doesn't recognize late safety rotations
• Takes some bad sacks outside the pocket. Only 1 throwaway in 2023
• Makes dangerous throws across his body when he escapes the pocket
• Average accuracy. Needs to improve lower-body mechanics
• Consistently hits receivers out of stride & forces them to slow down

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Michael Penix, Washington

After watching his pro day, where he ran a 4.46 40-yard dash and had a 37-inch vertical, it's clear that there is a chance Michael Penix could go earlier in the draft than we expected. That's what happens in this sport, a lot actually, and it's currently happening with McCarthy. On A to Z Sports' Big Board, Penix is projected to be a second rounder, but that can all change.

The reason the Raiders should target Penix in the first round is because it feels like he will not be there at pick No. 44 when they go on the board in the second round. So, why not go ahead and take him? Sure, he has an injury history and is significantly older than a lot of the other prospects, but he has elite arm talent and ball placement. Here are some of his other strengths and weaknesses:

STRENGTHS

• 94th percentile hand size
• Strong arm, aggressive pushing the ball downfield
• Throws with enough velocity to hit deep posts between 2-high
• Had the best game of his career in the CFB Semifinal vs. Texas
• Throws away from the coverage on back-shoulder fades
• Showed flashes of elite ball placement
• Flashed the ability to avoid pressure, maneuver the pocket, & reset his launch point
• 6.5% pressure-to-sack rate for his career
• Above average speed & acceleration

WEAKNESSES

• 6th-year Senior with a brutal injury history. 4 consecutive season-ending injuries
• Limited arm elasticity. Struggles to make off-platform throws in the face of pressure
• Needs to throw with better touch over the middle of the field
• Low release-point results in some batted passes
• Inconsistent deep accuracy. Missed high on a lot of throws & left big plays on the field
• Drifts backwards in the pocket & creates easy angles for edge rushers
• Doesn't extend plays or create much outside of the pocket
• Rarely asked to make full-field reads or target the middle
• Production was inflated by jump-balls & 1-read sideline shots
• Locks onto his 1st read & doesn't see dropping zone coverage defenders

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Bo Nix, Oregon

This one should be a bit obvious because it's the only other guy who should possibly go in the first round. Everyone else, if they go in the first round, outside of the top three, would be a massive reach. Nix is similar to Penix in that he is older but has some really good traits. He is similar to McCarthy in that he is a quarterback who is good enough to get the job done when he is developed.

Nix is A to Z Sports' No. 24th overall prospect and the fourth-overall quarterback in this upcoming draft. He has all the tools to be a pretty good football player, but it's more about how long it will take for him to develop if he's already as old as he is. Here are his strengths and weaknesses:

STRENGTHS

• Above average arm talent, can make every throw
• Good straight-line speed, with the fluidity/twitch to make defenders miss in open space
• Attacks tight windows over the middle with anticipation
• Quick, decisive processor. Doesn't linger on his first read
• Has the play strength & pocket manipulation to avoid sacks. 7.3% pressure to sack % at Oregon
• Makes accurate movement throws rolling out in both directions
• Uses his eyes to manipulate underneath defenders & widen out passing lanes
• Impressive touch thrower. Drops sideline shots in the bucket

WEAKNESSES

• Screen-heavy offense inflated his production
• Was only asked to make a few difficult throws each game in Oregon's offense
• Below average size
• Frequently bails from clean pockets
• Will make some bad decisions outside of the pocket. Several redzone prayers into triple coverage
• Scattershot deep accuracy
• Doesn't throw from a consistent base. Drifts away from clean pockets & makes unnecessary off-platform throws
• Older prospect who took 5 years to become a high-level NFL prospect

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The Raiders need a quarterback, and they should walk out of the draft with one. However, it's just about which round that will happen in. If it's the first, we could see one of these guys taken off the board by the Raiders.

Maxx Crosby talks NFL draft rumors claiming the Las Vegas Raiders will be taking QB Jayden Daniels

The Raiders have a tough decision to make.