Put your armchair general manager hat on for a minute, Raider Nation. What would you do with the Las Vegas Raiders‘ first-round pick if you were in John Spytek’s shoes?
Spytek’s first draft class has been a divisive topic all season. With a relatively weak quarterback class (or at least how it was originally perceived), the Raiders opted to go with Ashton Jeanty and Jack Bech as their first two picks. And yet, for numerous reasons, it seems these picks were largely wasted in their first years. Bech, underutilized by design, has only recently seen more action. Jeanty, for his part, came into a team with a disaster for the offensive line.
With the season quickly coming to an end, these next few weeks, it’s painfully clear that the current brain trust behind Spytek would need more than one year to turn things around. More importantly, he needs a coaching staff that aligns with his roster-building philosophy. Most of his draft picks saw little consistent playing time under Pete Carroll, highlighting a disconnect.
Unless there’s another factor at play, Carroll is expected to depart. This means Spytek and the new coaching hire will likely have either the first or second overall pick next year, a crucial decision point for the franchise.
So, Raiders fans: What should John Spytek do next?
The most obvious choice, and one that many within Raider Nation are pounding the table for, is to take a quarterback. It’s been more than a generation since the Raiders drafted a first-round signal-caller—even the team’s franchise record holder for many passing records, Derek Carr, was a second-round pick. That has to come to an end. As it stands, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza is the leading candidate. However, who’s going to block for him?
Mendoza will look no better than Geno Smith behind this unit. Which leads to another option, though it’s the least “sexiest,” drafting an offensive lineman in the first round instead. Of course, Spytek could also trade that top pick for a draft haul, which would help him fill many roster holes. What would you do? Don’t forget to cast your vote!
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