With the Las Vegas Raiders planning to hire Luke Getsy as offensive coordinator, the team can start doing work on which quarterback they might want to add in the 2024 NFL Draft. It’ll be difficult for the team to trade into the top-three picks to land one of the top prospects but there are some intriguing players who could be available at No. 13.
Matt Miller of ESPN projects the Raiders to draft former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the No. 13 pick.
“The Raiders have a new general manager in Tom Telesco and must make finding a long-term quarterback the priority of the 2024 offseason (free agent signing Jimmy Garoppolo has not worked out),” Miller wrote in a February 5 mock draft. “McCarthy, who started two years at Michigan, just turned 21 and has the requisite tools to be that player. He’s mobile and tough as nails, and scouts praise his arm strength and ability to make difficult throws in big situations. He has thrown only 44 touchdown passes in college to nine interceptions and compared to the other top quarterbacks in this class, he’s by far the least-experienced thrower. But his potential and ceiling have him worthy of a top-15 selection.”
As Miller points out, McCarthy doesn’t have the most impressive stats but Michigan didn’t ask him to do much as it was a run-heavy offense. The quarterback is still young and has a lot of room to grow. While quarterbacks like Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr. had far more impressive stats in college, McCarthy is three years younger and his upside could be much higher.
Las Vegas Raiders Also Projected to Select Troy Franklin
Out of the top quarterback prospects, J.J. McCarthy will likely need the most time to develop due to his age. The best way for the Raiders to ensure that he has success early on is to surround him with talent.
While the Raiders have bigger needs on the offensive line and defense, Matt Miller believes the team will select former Oregon wide receiver Troy Franklin in the second round.
“Let’s give new quarterback McCarthy some friends in the passing game,” Miller wrote. “Franklin is a vertical threat with awesome speed and a 6-foot-3 frame. He grabbed 14 touchdowns in 2023 and picked up 1,383 yards on 81 catches. With 31% of his routes classifying as deep routes, Franklin is ready to stretch the field in the NFL.”
Franklin’s got some big-time upside but the Raiders don’t have a need at wide receiver unless they were to trade Davante Adams.
If Troy Franklin has a great showing at the combine, he could easily be the 3rd WR off the board. He’s my WR3 but a lot of people view him around 5 or 6.
What Should Las Vegas Raiders’ Focus Be in the Draft?
The Raiders are just one of the many teams that need a quarterback this offseason. There are at least six teams picking ahead of Las Vegas that could be in the market for a quarterback. The Raiders may need to put off the need if they can’t trade up and focus on building the offensive line and adding defensive pieces.
Quarterback is the most important position and the Raiders will need to find a long-term option at some point but that could prove difficult in 2024. If the team can’t get a quarterback they like, improving the defense and offensive line could go a long way in setting up a potential rookie quarterback in 2025 for success.
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Raiders Projected to Add 21-Year-Old QB & Explosive WR