Replacing Derek Carr with Jimmy Garoppolo was a lateral move and the Raiders waited until the 135th pick to draft a quarterback (Purdue's Aidan O'Connell), so it wouldn't surprise me if the Silver & Black were to re-enter the QB market in 2024. Ewers flashed the big-time skill set that earned him the top spot in his recruiting class. Ewers has had a good spring and if that carries over to a more consistent junior season, he could go much earlier than this.
One Penn State cornerback was just drafted early (No. 32) last week, and the other could be a top pick in 2023. But whereas Joey Porter Jr. is long and physical, King is more fluid and an easy mover. His movements appear effortless. And King is a pure cover man, breaking up 15 passes (tied for fifth in the FBS) and picking off three more last season. At 5-foot-11 and 188 pounds, he isn't the biggest corner in the class, but he has the quickness, instincts and smoothness to make plays. I could see him bumping inside, too, if needed. I was surprised Las Vegas didn't draft a cornerback early this year, so I'd expect it to look closely at the position next time around.
The fourth quarterback drafted in this mock, and you don't need to squint to see the talent with McCarthy. He is a loose athlete for his size with NFL-level arm strength and the poise to make plays.
The decision to sign injury-prone quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo requires that the Raiders protect him. Lathan excelled in his first season as Alabama's starting right tackle a year ago and looks like their next first-round pick up front.
The Las Vegas Raiders added Jakorian Bennett (scouting report) from Maryland in the 2023 draft, but need to keep re-tooling their secondary. Kool-Aid McKinstry has been productive for the Crimson Tide, with 18 career pass breakups, two interceptions and 65 total tackles. In an AFC West with elite passing attacks in Kansas City and Los Angeles, the Raiders know how important it is to get guys who can defend down the field.
Jimmy Garoppolo isn't the long-term answer for the Raiders. Penix led the Power Five this past season with 4,641 passing yards while his 1.3% turnover-worthy play rate was the fifth-lowest in the country.
Las Vegas resisted the temptation to trade up in the first round of the 2023 Draft for a quarterback. That'll give Jimmy Garoppolo one year to prove he's more than a stopgap option. If the Raiders struggle their way to a top five selection, a new QB will be in the cards.
In this scenario, luck falls in the team's favor and the second-best prospect slides all the way to No. 5. Maye will have to avoid the late-career slump that pushed Sam Howell to the fifth round after emerging as a stud, but if he can build on his 2022 he'll be Vegas's huckleberry.
Scraping by on the interior with the likes of Jerry Tillery, Bilal Nichols and third-round rookie Byron Young likely will prove problematic for the Silver and Black. An ascending talent, the 6-3, 305-pound Taylor flashes impressive pass-rushing tools that should put him in high demand.
