Raiders may not need to trade up in the 2024 NFL Draft to get the quarterback they so desperately need
It's no secret that the Las Vegas Raiders fan base and media members all want and are guessing the team will take a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft to kickstart this new era of football under the new regime. They drafted Aidan O'Connell last season, and he had some great moments, but, for the […]
It's no secret that the Las Vegas Raiders fan base and media members all want and are guessing the team will take a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft to kickstart this new era of football under the new regime. They drafted Aidan O'Connell last season, and he had some great moments, but, for the most part, it looks like he won't be the QB it takes to win a Super Bowl in Las Vegas, and while the Raiders have to make the playoffs first, a Lombardi Trophy is the ultimate goal.
When you look at all of the teams who made the playoffs, specifically the two teams who made the Super Bowl – all have their QB position locked down. There are no questions on if he is the guy or not. The team knows without hesitation that the player is the guy. That is where the Raiders are trying to get, as the position is the most important in the game.
The rest should be much easier if you figure out your QB position. That's what the Raiders are trying to do. However, they have run into an issue. They pick at No. 13 in the 2024 NFL Draft, and that spot will show its difficulties in finding an elite QB or one of the best three in the draft. They would all likely be gone by that point. The Raiders will likely have to trade up to get one of them.
Or, they may not have to. They could get exactly what they need while staying put.
Raiders need to look at QB Bo Nix
Nix is the former Auburn and Oregon quarterback who seemed to get better every year he played. He's at the Reese's Senior Bowl, showing off some of his talents in Mobile, Alabama. Teams are interested to see what Nix has, and the way the week has gone, his stock could rise a bit.
Now, Nix isn't blowing people away by any means, as he has had his fair share of mishaps, just like all QBs do when they are playing with all guys they have never played with. However, if you look at some of the positive things he has done, he is showing up to be the QB the Raiders could take, and they wouldn't have to give up any future assets to get him.
According to A to Z Sports' big board, James Foster has Nix as the 12th overall prospect and the fourth overall quarterback. Here is what A to Z Sports' Rob Gregson had to say about Nix as a prospect:
Nix is truly a tale of two careers, being rebuilt in the Pacific Northwest after a tumultuous career at Auburn in the SEC. His obvious physical talent, build, and running ability make him an enticing candidate for modern offenses that look to utilize the QB run game and designed PA shots. Teams will have concerns about the amount of time it took before things clicked for Nix, as well as his lack of processing, but he checks the box as a high-character competitor that teams covet. Rob Gregson, A to Z Sports
Some of those things we have seen so far at the Senior Bowl just through two days of practice. Nix has made some pretty nice throws. As we said before, he isn't blowing anyone away but just doing his job and making the right plays. Sometimes, that's all you need.
Another thing that certainly will help Nix in the pros is that he has played in many different offensive systems. From playing at the childhood school he dreamed of playing for in Auburn to transferring to Oregon and seeing quite a bit of success last season, he has been through a lot as a football player. That should have him ready for the pros.
"I think it's important, you know, five offenses in five years, five different play callers," Nix said to media after the first Senior Bowl practice. "So I've been around the block, and I've been able to learn from a lot of different people who've had a lot of different success. You know, they've been able to coach a lot of great quarterbacks in the past. Along the way, I learned and picked up a lot from each individual and grew in my time, and I've had a lot of experience to grow. I'm a football junkie, and so I just enjoy learning different plays. I can name, you know, the same play in different ways."
Last season at Oregon, Nix finished with over 4,500 passing yards, 45 touchdowns, and three interceptions. He hardly ever turned the ball over, which also intrigues NFL teams. The Raiders need a QB badly, and if trading up isn't an option, getting Nix at 13, or even trading back to get him, would be a good idea.
Raiders should absolutely be looking at Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell at No. 13 in 2024 draft
The Raiders do need to bolster their defensive back room.
