Growing buzz suggests Las Vegas Raiders could make surprise choice with 13th overall pick
Among the Raiders draft needs in 2024 are cornerback, edge rusher, quarterback and the offensive line. Las Vegas will have its choice of young talent at several of those positions, but the team has also made several attempts this offseason to trade up for a better pick.
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Realistically, the only position Las Vegas would trade up for at the current asking price of teams with top-five picks is a quarterback. It comes down to positional value, with clubs like the Arizona Cardinals (fourth overall pick) and Los Angeles Chargers (fifth overall pick) seeking three first-round picks. For the Raiders and every other team, that cost is only justifiable for a quarterback.
With a trade-up unlikely to happen for Las Vegas, it’s highly unlikely that the team will land Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, or J.J. McCarthy. Instead, Telesco and Pierce appear poised to stay put and there is reportedly more buzz hinting at who the Raiders will draft in 2024 with their first-round selection.
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Who will the Raiders draft this year?
According to ESPN’s Matt Miller, there is ‘constant’ chatter that the Raiders love quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and he is very much in play to be selected 13th overall on Thursday night.
It’s a significant change from where things stood at the start of the pre-draft process. At that time, NFL teams had massive concerns regarding Penix Jr’s medicals following a collegiate career that included four season-ending surgeries including a pair of ACL tears.
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He’s also one of the older quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft, turning 24 years old later this year. For perspective, he will be the same age in his rookie season as Trevor Lawrence in his fourth year in the NFL.
