Getty Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders.
The Jimmy Garoppolo experiment hasn’t gotten off to a strong start for the Las Vegas Raiders. The team is 1-2 and Garoppolo has thrown an NFL-leading six interceptions.
Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report isn’t buying that the 31-year-old veteran is going to be with the Raiders long-term and pegged them as a team that could draft a quarterback in 2024.
“Las Vegas quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is in the concussion protocol, but his injury history is well-documented,” Sobleski wrote in a September 29 column. “He’s just not a reliable long-term solution at the position for the Raiders.”
With USC’s Caleb Williams almost certainly being the No. 1 pick, Sobleski named the Raiders as the best fit for Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
“Las Vegas can get younger, more talented and cheaper at the game’s most important position by selecting Shedeur Sanders of Colorado,” Sobleski wrote.
Sanders is second in the NCAA with 1,410 passing yards while also throwing 11 touchdowns with just one interception. He’s very athletic but has -93 rushing yards on the season due to the fact that he’s been sacked 22 times in four games. However, he’s a quarterback who prefers to throw, which is something that Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels has always liked.
“People are going to look back and be like dang, that was legendary.”
@CUBuffsFootball QB Shedeur Sanders reflects on Colorado’s season so far heading into Week 5 🦬
Would Shedeur Sanders Be Right Fit With Las Vegas Raiders?
The Raiders are in the same division as Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert who are arguably the two best quarterbacks in the NFL and are both under 30. The Denver Broncos look like they could be bad enough to get a top-five pick in the draft, which opens up the possibility that they land a star quarterback.
Shedeur Sanders is the type of high-upside player who could give the Raiders a chance to close the talent gap at quarterback.
“The skill set is obvious,” Brent Sobleski wrote. “Despite facing so much pressure, Sanders remains unflappable in the pocket. He delivers the ball with wonderful placement when he remains upright, but he’s being asked to do too much to make up for other shortcomings.”
Josh McDaniels wants a quarterback who can stay in the pocket and deliver the ball. Sanders may end up being the best fit with the Raiders. What he would bring to the team is a level of athleticism that Jimmy Garoppolo and Derek Carr lacked. He could open up a lot of things for a Raiders offense that has a lot of talent.
Deion Sanders Suggests Shedeur Sanders Could Stay in College
Shedeur Sanders doesn’t need to rush his way into the NFL. He’s the son of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders and doesn’t need money. Deion Sanders recently revealed that his son may not want to play second-fiddle to Caleb Williams in the 2024 NFL Draft, which may lead to him staying another year in college.
“Shedeur don’t want to be two to nobody,” Sanders told Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks in a September 20 interview. “He don’t get down like that. … People [are] projecting him behind Caleb Williams, and Caleb Williams is phenomenal. But Shedeur ain’t no backseat rider.”
Shedeur Sanders could feel differently but that could depend on how the rest of the college football season goes. The Raiders should be an appealing team to the Sanders family. He could potentially play with Josh Jacobs, Davante Adams and a solid pass-blocking offensive line. What he decides to do will be a big thing to watch once the college football season is over.
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Raiders Named Best Fit for Electric 21-Year-Old QB