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In just a matter of hours, rumors can become reality with the start of the NFL Draft closing in. Last year, the Las Vegas Raiders were the subject of a number of “leaks.” This year, things have been more quiet and it’s really hard to know exactly which players they might pickup.
Just a few months ago, it was impossible to think that quarterback Tua Tagovailoa out of Alabama would fall out of the top-10 picks in the draft. However, thanks to injury concerns, some have suggested he could fall quite a bit. If he’s somehow available when the Raiders select at 12, the team could have a very interesting decision on their hands. In his latest mock draft, NFL.com’s Peter Schrager predicted Las Vegas to draft wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, but noted that the Tua buzz is real:
The Raiders get their guy. I’ve been hearing a lot of Tua-to-Vegas buzz the last few days, but I can’t see it. Not here. Lamb’s my favorite prospect in the entire 2020 draft. He’s been compared to DeAndre Hopkins, and those comparisons are not crazy.
While the Raiders have a good quarterback in Derek Carr, Tagovailoa has been compared to Drew Brees and likely would’ve been the number one pick had he not gotten injured during his last year in college. There’s a possibility he slips a bit in the draft, but it’s hard to imagine a scenario he actually falls to the Raiders 12.
Is Trading up a Possibility?
If the Raiders really want Tua Tagovailoa, they’ll probably have to trade up. The cost from going from number 12 to the top-five would be incredibly steep. That’s the kind of move a team that is desperate for a quarterback makes. The Raiders shouldn’t be that desperate as they’ve got a solid quarterback room.
Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock made the most of almost every draft selection last year. Each pick holds a lot of value. They already don’t have a ton of picks and would probably try to obtain more before giving a bunch of them up. Tua to the Raiders is a very interesting idea, but it just doesn’t seem likely at this point.
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Raiders Already Have a Project at QB
Interestingly enough, the Raiders already have a Hawaiian quarterback on the roster who was a stud in college in Marcus Mariota. Jon Gruden likes the idea of fixing veteran quarterbacks more than developing young rookies. It’s worked well for him in the past so it’s unlikely he tries to fix what isn’t broke.
2020 just isn’t the year to try and gamble on a quarterback like Tagovailoa. Derek Carr improved under Gruden last year and still has a high ceiling. Mariota is loaded with talent, he just hasn’t figured out how to translate it into on-the-field success. Considering offseason programs are very likely to be shortened this year, Gruden is going to have a lot less time to work with a rookie. Perhaps the team can finally make a move in 2021, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense for this season in the early rounds.
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