Raiders roll the dice on new franchise QB in 2020 NFL mock draft
The Las Vegas Raiders take a chance on a new franchise signal-caller in a recent 2020 NFL mock draft.
It is an interesting time of transition for the Raiders. Not only is the franchise moving from Oakland to Las Vegas in 2020, but they have also put together a young roster that is built more for the future than the present. Jon Gruden and company have done a nice job of building this roster through the draft and with two first-round selections in the 2020 NFL Draft, they are in a great position to continue to do so.
The Raiders hold the 12th and 19th overall picks in the 2020 NFL Draft and most in the industry expect them to take some sort of combination of players at the wide receiver, off-ball linebacker and cornerback positions. These are three obvious needs for the Las Vegas Raiders that all simply must be addressed going forward. That being said, they are certainly not locked into taking players at those specific positions.
One of the Raiders’ picks in a recent 2020 NFL mock draft really caught my eye as it represents an interesting path going forward. NFL.com Analyst Bucky Brooks released the 2.0 version of his 2020 NFL mock draft on Tuesday. In that mock, Brooks had the Raiders taking Utah State quarterback Jordan Love with the 12th overall pick.
“After watching their division rivals hoist the Lombardi Trophy due to a draft day quarterback gamble that changed the course of the franchise, the Raiders could roll the dice on an ultra-talented prospect with MVP potential,” Brooks wrote.
The Raiders swinging for the fences on a guy like Love would certainly make some sense. Current starting quarterback Derek Carr has had a nice NFL career, but he has not grown into a top-tier option at the position. He is an extremely risk-averse player who opts for the checkdown option far too often. If the Raiders are going to take a major step into Super Bowl contention in the future, Carr is unlikely to be the guy who will lead them to the promised land.
On top of that, Love’s timeline as an NFL quarterback matches up much better with the expected competitive window for the Raiders. This is a talented roster with impact players on both sides of the ball, but the Raiders are not ready to compete for a Super Bowl championship in 2020. They have done a great job of building this team with a patient approach, consistently keeping their eye on the long-term health of the franchise.
Love is an extremely raw and underdeveloped talent, but his upside at the next level is absolutely massive. He shows tremendous natural arm strength, places the ball extremely well and moves in and out of the pocket at a high level. Love is undoubtedly a risky prospect, but if he hits, he will become a major NFL star.
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Will Gruden and company have the guts to swing for the fences on Love in the 2020 NFL Draft? Only time will tell, but if he is available, they have to at least consider it. He is the kind of player who could take this franchise to the next level.