3 NFL Draft prospects the Raiders should avoid
1 Trey Lance, Quarterback, North Dakota State
No head coach in the NFL loves a quarterback controversy more than Gruden. That’s why it’s imperative for team officials to talk him out of creating one by drafting a signal-caller in Round 1.
The No. 17 pick isn’t good enough to garner the Raiders a truly elite prospect like Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, or even Zach Wilson. It is, however, strong enough to land a quarterback in the next tier of this year’s prospects. It’s easy to envision a scenario where Gruden falls in love with a toolsy quarterback and selects him to become Derek Carr’s ultimate successor.
A physically talented, but unrefined prospect like Trey Lance would be a wasted pick for a franchise that is ready to compete for a playoff berth immediately. There’s a chance he can develop into a quality starter in time, but he’s nowhere near ready to make an impact in 2021. The Minnesota native threw a grand total of 30 passes this season due to his school’s truncated schedule.
3 Raiders who won't be back with the team in 2021. dark. Next
If the Raiders feel the need to strengthen their options behind Carr they can do so later in the draft. The key is to avoid spending a premium selection on a guy who’s going to sit on the bench for at least two seasons. Drafting Lance would be a luxury move for a team that can’t afford to make that kind of speculative investment.