Las Vegas Raiders 2021 NFL Draft: Way-too-early 3-round mock draft
North Dakota State. Trey Lance. 1. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. QB. 28
Let’s have a little fun. Derek Carr has been the Raiders’ starting quarterback since they took him in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Carr has had some success in the NFL, but at this point, he pretty much is what he is; a league-average at best starting quarterback who is never going to lead a team to any sort of significant success.
With this in mind, the Raiders should consider attacking the quarterback position in the 2021 NFL Draft. In this mock draft, they end up holding the eighth overall selection, putting them in the range for a guy like Trey Lance.
Lance is coming off of an incredible debut season at North Dakota State where he completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 2,786 yards, 28 touchdowns and did not throw a single interception. On top of that, Lance carried the ball 169 times for 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns. Simply put, Lance was easily the best player at the FCS level last season and has set himself up to be a legitimate top-tier NFL Draft prospect.
Lance is a smart player who reads the field well and is not afraid to push the ball down the field when needed. He is an extremely quick and athletic quarterback prospect who shows fantastic mobility in and out of the pocket and feels pressure well when inside the pocket.
On top of that, Lance’s impressive raw arm strength immediately stands out on tape. This guy consistently pushes the ball deep down the field and can fit the ball into tight spaces with impressive velocity. On top of that, Lance shows high-level accuracy in the short-to-intermediate range and can certainly throw the deep ball on a dime at times as well.
Considering he plays at the FCS level, there will certainly be questions about Lance’s ability to translate to the NFL. That being said, his skills are undoubtedly legitimate and if he can continue to dominate his level of play, Lance undoubtedly has top-ten potential. Lance is undoubtedly a strong fit for the Las Vegas Raiders and could be the guy to take them to the next level.