The Las Vegas Raiders had some luck during the 2014 NFL Draft when Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr fell to them in the second round. In retrospect, the case could be made that he’s been the team’s best value pick since then. Pro Football Focus certainly seems to think so.
Michael Renner recently ranked the best picks based on overall value since 2006 for each NFL team. The PFF writer listed Carr for the Raiders, which poses the question if he’s indeed worthy of that honor. If we’re going off which round a player’s selected, the Raiders don’t have much to show for it, especially in the first round. Take the 2019 class, for example. None of the team’s three first-round selections had their fifth-year option exercised. On the other hand, Carr was once again extended this offseason. The new Raiders brass believes they can win with Carr right now. So, obviously, Dave Ziegler and Co. value that selection.
What did PFF have to say about Derek Carr this time?
As far as the justification for Carr’s selection, Renner emphasized that No. 4 is in a notable company as far as NFL signal-callers are concerned.
“Maxx Crosby could be a good pick here, as he was taken two rounds later, but Carr obviously plays the more valuable position. Carr is one of only four quarterbacks who was drafted outside the first round in the PFF era and is currently being paid over $30 million per year (Russell Wilson, Kirk Cousins, and Prescott as well).”
When you think of value for draft picks, the round where they were chosen plays a big part. As Renner mentioned, Maxx Crosby would’ve been a solid choice considering everything he’s accomplished. The case could’ve been made for Hunter Renfrow as well. Unfortunately, for the Raiders, nailing draft picks has been an impossible science to master. Most people acknowledge that the NFL draft is largely a crapshoot, but holy hell have the Raiders been bad at it. All you need to do is look at the team’s history since 2010, and it’s no wonder the argument for best value pick falls off after Carr, Crosby, and Renfrow. There are exceptions, such as Kolton Miller in 2018, but they’re virtually nonexistent. Maybe, one day, Carr might end up being the team’s most valuable pick of this generation. What are your thoughts, Raider Nation?
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*Top Photo: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
