Last year, the Las Vegas Raiders picked up Purdue’s Aidan O’Connell on Day 3 of the NFL Draft. It worked out well; should they go back to it?
Who can forget when the team’s brain trust missed out on C.J. Stroud? He was without question the best rookie signal-caller from that class, after all. However, in O’Connell’s defense, he was arguably in contention for the second-best quarterback from the same group. Give Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler some credit; they might’ve been onto something with AOC.
With that being said, current general manager Tom Telesco is no stranger to drafting quarterbacks. Here’s a scenario: what if the new Raiders boss revisited Day 3 just like his predecessors did? Tulane’s Michael Pratt would be a worthwhile look, all things considered.
The Raiders ought to consider Tulane’s Michael Pratt
The 2023 AAC Offensive Player of the Year is no one to scoff at—say what you will about the American conference. Pratt threw for 90 touchdowns in his career. Also, unlike O’Connell, the kid can run—28 career rushing touchdowns certainly back that statement up.
Yes, there is concern about Pratt, just as there is with any prospect. He’s not the most physically gifted in terms of size; however, neither were other successful current and past NFL quarterbacks. His hands aren’t the biggest either (we can hear the Derek Carr 2.0 remarks already); we hear you.
At the same time, Pratt was a leader in the Tulane program, and we know how much emphasis head coach Antonio Pierce puts on that trait. On top of that, the arm strength is there, which is what we really care about anyway. If you’re taking into consideration the Raiders’ receiver corps, Pratt will get the ball to them, no doubt about it. He’s not a dual-threat guy, but his feet allow him to scramble when need be; he won’t sit back there like a statue.
A quarterback on the third day doesn’t necessarily make headlines. For the Raiders, it’s not about the headlines; it’s about getting the right player and creating competition—the quarterback position included.
*Top Photo: Getty Images