Raiders draft rumors: Is a quarterback out of the question in Round 1?
Apr 24, 2023, 9:19 AM
Devon Witherspoon #31 of the Illinois Fighting Illini attempts to interception a pass in the game against the Virginia Cavaliers during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium on September 10, 2022 in Champaign, Illinois.
It’s officially draft week Raiders fans and who Las Vegas selects in the first round is a mystery.
The latest buzz that ESPN’s Todd McShay is hearing is the team could ignore the quarterback position in Round 1.
The Raiders explored a trade up to No. 1 for Young earlier this offseason, but after they were unable to get that done, everything I’m hearing now points to Vegas being out on the quarterbacks.
READ MORE FROM SACTOWN SPORTS: What picks do Las Vegas Raiders have in the 2023 NFL Draft?
Las Vegas currently has the seventh selection in Thursday’s NFL Draft. Earlier in the offseason, the Chicago Bears traded their first-overall pick to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for the ninth overall pick in this year’s draft, a 2024 first-round pick, a 2025 second-round pick and wide receiver DJ Moore.
Since a trade for the first-overall pick did not work out for the Raiders and the signing of Jimmy Garoppolo in the offseason, the Raiders seem poised, according to McShay, to pivot to other needs in the first round.
“The belief around the NFL is Las Vegas will instead target a cornerback here, either [Illinois’ Devon] Witherspoon or [Oregon’s Christian] Gonzalez. They are both top-tier prospects at the position, and it comes down to whether the Raiders prefer the physical cover skills of Witherspoon or the elite physical traits of Gonzalez.”
The Raiders allowed 24.6 points per game in 2022, the seventh-most in the league, but it gets worse. Their secondary allowed the highest passer rating and the third-highest completion rating. Adding a lockdown-style cornerback like Witherspoon or Gonzalez could help improve that secondary heading into 2023.
Some CB Comps
Devon Witherspoon – Trent McDuffie
Julius Brents – Charvarius Ward
Christian Gonzalez – Jamel Dean
Forbes – Daron Bland
Kelee – Dre Kirkpatrick
Clark Phillips – Kareem Jackson
Deonte Banks – Tyson Campbell
Jartavius Martin – Isaiah Oliver pic.twitter.com/QmI6lfyX1s— Maliik Obee (@NFLMaliik) April 24, 2023
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