The Las Vegas Raiders own the 13th overall pick in the NFL Draft, and many are wondering if they will try to take a quarterback.
The Raiders don’t seem all that committed to Aidan O’Connell under center, as evidenced by the fact that they signed Gardner Minshew in free agency.
Plus, head coach Antonio Pierce has made it pretty clear that Las Vegas is still looking for a franchise player at the position, an indication that he doesn’t see O’Connell as the guy going forward.
The Raiders won’t be able to land one of the very top prospects if they stay at No. 13, but there is another signal-caller they may have their eyes on: Washington star Michael Penix Jr.
ESPN’s Matt Miller recently reported that Las Vegas is definitely considering taking Penix at that spot.
“One constant I keep hearing from people I trust is that the Raiders really do like Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and could select him at No. 13 overall,” Miller wrote. “That would qualify as a surprise, despite the fact that Penix is a beautiful thrower from the pocket and has the best overall arm strength in this class.”
Miller added that while Penix’s medical history and questionable mobility are concerns heading into the NFL Draft, there is “buzz” that Las Vegas is seriously weighing taking him with its first-round pick.
It’s also interesting to note that Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze—who is expected to go early on in the draft—recently said that he would like to play with Penix in Vegas, so perhaps he has heard something along those lines, as well?
Penix is coming off of a spectacular 2023 campaign in which he threw for 4,903 yards, 36 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while completing 65.4 percent of his passes. He led the Huskies all the way to the national championship game, where they lost to Michigan.
We’ll see if the Raiders end up taking Penix next Thursday.
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