In the months leading up to the draft, it was no secret that the Raiders wanted to trade up for LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, but a trade never happened and neither did any of the other potential trades at the top of the first round.
According to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, the Raiders’ interest in Daniels wasn’t made up, but he appeared to be the only quarterback the Raiders were willing to consider in a blockbuster trade.
“Much was made of the Raiders’ draft plans — and ultimate inaction — at quarterback. Here’s what I know: They explored trading for Jayden Daniels, but any attempts were futile due to Washington’s stance that it wasn’t dealing the No. 2 pick,” Fowler reported this week in an ESPN Plus column. “Las Vegas also had interest in Michael Penix Jr., but most likely not in a trade up. He would have been considered at No. 13 or in a trade back. I heard from multiple people in Vegas that the team did not want to reach.”
It’s noteworthy that Fowler said the Raiders “most likely” weren’t willing to trade up for Penix. It sounds like there might have been some trade consideration on the team’s part if the Falcons had not drafted him with the 8th-overall pick.
There have been rumors that the Raiders were interested in Bo Nix, but they obviously weren’t willing to trade up to get him. Based on the relatively inexpensive price the Viking paid to get J.J. McCarthy, it’s probably safe to assume the Raiders didn’t have an ultra-high grade on McCarthy, either.
If the Raiders wanted McCarthy, they could have easily outbid the Vikings (or at least made them pay more) for the Jets pick at no. 10.
South Carolina Spencer Rattler had been linked to the Raiders as a possible late pick, but there is some reason to believe he might not have been on the team’s board at all.
As for the pick the Raiders actually made in the first round, Fowler said that several scouts believe Georgia tight end Brock Bowers might have been the best player in the draft, but because of his position, teams picking ahead of the Raiders decided to address other needs in the draft.
