One of the decisions the front office for the Raiders will need to make this offseason is how much risk they want to take on at the quarterback position.
With Derek Carr on his way out, the Raiders will have a new face of the franchise for the first time in nearly a decade. But will they decide to go with a safer, lower-ceiling option? Or will they swing for the fences, hoping to get the next Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen?
In a recent mock draft by Dalton Miller of the Pro Football Network, he mocked Florida QB Anthony Richardson to the Raiders at pick No. 7. Here is a snippet of his thoughts on the possible fit:
“Anthony Richardson is the QB that fascinates me the most in the draft class. The 21-year-old has a long way to go before he becomes a high-level passer who can dissect defenses and make the quick and correct decisions against zone coverage, but that comes with time.
Think of Richardson like (Justin) Fields. He may not be quite as fast or quite as physical, but his 6-foot-4, 230-pound frame is built for the NFL, and there is no shortage of quickness and power as a runner.”
There is no question that Richardson is extremely talented. In fact, he is probably the most talented quarterback in the class when you factor in his size, arm strength, and overall athleticism.
But Richardson needs a lot of work and would really benefit by sitting for an entire season in the NFL. That’s why he would make a lot of sense for the Raiders if they were able to bring in a bridge quarterback like Jimmy Garappolo or Jacoby Brissett.
But until they make that move, it’s probably unwise to mock Richardson to the Raiders. Instead, Will Levis (Kentucky) or C.J. Stroud (Ohio State) make more sense in Round 1 because they are more NFL-ready and polished.
