Raiders' reported QB draft strategy is actually a great sign for the future

Don't look now, but I think the Las Vegas Raiders might be a sneaky-good team in the AFC next season. Of course, they have no chance of surpassing the arch rival Kansas City Chiefs in-division, but I expect they will be far better than the hapless Denver Broncos, as well as slightly ahead of the Los Angeles Chargers when it comes to their rebuild. It all starts with who they took at No. 13 overall.

Brock Bowers is my Dawg. The greatest tight end in college football history leaves my alma mater of the University of Georgia for an opportunity to shine for the Silver and Black. While the Raiders did not come out of the first round with a quarterback, you have to like their combination of second-year pro Aidan O'Connell and veteran journeyman Gardner Minshew II under center for them next season.

For my money, Minshew is the son Ken Stabler didn't know he had. He has a chance to be the Raiders' most celebrated quarterback since Rich Gannon. As for O'Connell, he seems like a guy who will have tremendous staying power in the league. At times last season, he made Raider Nation forget all about Derek Carr not winning divisions for them. Apparently, this was all part of Tom Telesco's draft plans...

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler mentioned in his news and notes from the NFL Draft that the Raiders were interested in possibly trading up for former LSU star Jayden Daniels, as well as taking former Washington star Michael Penix Jr. if he fell to them at No. 13. The idea of the Raiders trading up to get Antonio Pierce's guy at No. 2 was merely that. Apparently, the Atlanta Falcons were validated at No. 8.

Now that you understand the Raiders' plan, let me explain to you why you should be bullish on them.

Las Vegas Raiders' 2024 NFL Draft plans were actually quite brilliant

Given how well the Raiders played down the stretch last year, they were never in all that great of a position to take a quarterback. While adding Minshew in free agency as a Jimmy Garoppolo replacement was swell, the Raiders seem to have hit on O'Connell in some capacity. We are talking more like single with a throwing error that gets you to second, but it is still a base hit nevertheless.

If the Raiders play up to their potential under Pierce, they will be around a .500 team, give or take a few games. This would help him truly establish the type of culture he wants to implement in Las Vegas, as well as provide other opportunities out there for either Minshew or O'Connell if another team needs another quarterback. With Bowers in tote, next year may be the time to go get a guy.

The 2025 NFL Draft does not project to be as strong at the top when it comes to quarterbacks as it was this past spring. However, the Raiders could be in an advantageous position to get QB3 next year, as opposed to something closer to QB6. This would put them in the range to draft someone like Shedeur Sanders out of Colorado, Riley Leonard out of Notre Dame or Jalen Milroe out of Alabama.

As it turns out, the Raiders didn't really need to draft a quarterback this spring; they already have two.