This season has been very disappointing for the Silver and Black, to say the least. With how the year has gone, it’s not unreasonable to suspect some turnover. One of the positions that often sees turnover after a poor season is the quarterback spot. With that in mind, here are three quarterback prospects that the Las Vegas Raiders should look at in the first two rounds of the 2023 NFL draft.
There are going to be some promising prospects at the top of NFL Draft next April
Raiders Mock: QB Target No. 1 – Bryce Young, Alabama
Young is a very fun and exciting prospect, and he’ll likely be the first QB prospect off the board. With the Raiders currently owning the ninth pick, they might not be in a good position to select him.
Young’s strengths reside in his raw talent. A large part of that is his arm, which is second to none among this draft class. Bryce is very well-rounded here. He generates velocity easily on his throws and is able to get the ball out quickly. Young is accurate in the short, intermediate, and deep ranges. He’s able to get the ball out under duress, and these skills provide him with a great ability to save broken plays.
With all of Young’s talent, he is undersized, and with that comes durability concerns at the NFL level. Young has some smaller issues, but this is definitely the main concern that NFL front offices will have next spring. Beyond this, Young could develop more arm strength as well. Finally, as is something that many QB prospects struggle with coming out of college, he’ll need to be slightly better at reading and understanding a defense. He’s struggled with this a bit in college, and it will undoubtedly be more difficult in the NFL.
Raiders Mock: QB Target No. 2 – C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
Stroud is another very impressive QB prospect. He’ll likely be the second quarterback off the board, going early in the first round as well.
One of Stroud’s biggest strengths is his natural leadership and instincts. Stroud seems to make the right decision every time in the pocket, and he has a very good understanding of the game. Stroud is big, standing at 6’3″ and 218 lbs., and with that comes his impressive arm strength. He is able to throw the ball all around the field with zip and accuracy. Many scouts consider his arm to be already NFL-ready.
Stroud doesn’t have many weaknesses to his name. However, one of those is his footwork. His timing in his drops relative to when his receiver is ready for the ball is a bit inconsistent as well. However, he is dealing with a mostly new receivers’ room at Ohio State this season, so that could be chalked up to a lack of chemistry. Aside from these two issues, there aren’t any other red flags associated with Stroud.
Raiders Mock: QB Target No. 3 – Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
Hendon Hooker is the third quarterback prospect that the Raiders may be able to grab in the first two rounds. Hooker has led an electric offense for the Volunteers and seems to be the unanimous third quarterback off the board this draft season.
Hooker has a very quick release. This should come to his benefit if he is drafted by a team with a poor offensive line. In the same line of thinking, Hooker is a very good passer on the run, so he’s able to make plays on the fly. Hooker is accurate in the short and intermediate ranges and is able to get the ball down the field with good velocity as well.
With his ability to make big plays, he also has the ability to try to do too much. Hooker sometimes makes rushed decisions in his pocket and has the tendency to panic. While he is tall, Hooker does lack the strength to last in the NFL, although that can be improved, of course.
*Top Photo: David Petkiewicz/Cleveland.com