I made a mistake with my mock draft yesterday. I suggested it was steered towards what I would do. Yet I wrote I wouldn’t take Fernando Mendoza with the top pick if I were the Raiders and put it in there anyway — because it’s the consensus.
I don’t think the Raiders should do it. What’s the point?
They don’t have a roster capable of supporting him. Their defense is poor and their O-line a mess. They have one genuine weapon to throw to.
Vegas needs to build a roster. They need to embrace the idea of a longer term build. They need infrastructure to succeed.
Plonking a rookie quarterback with only one year of success on the best coached team in college football into the organisation hoping he’s the saviour of the Raiders would be malpractice.
Here’s what I think they should do instead…
1. Shop the pick
See if anyone wants to trade up for Mendoza. I doubt it. I think the likes of the Jets and Browns will be satisfied they’re not facing the prospect of having to consider taking Mendoza at #1. They can do what the Raiders should be doing — building infrastructure and exercising patience at quarterback.
2. Draft an offensive lineman
Whether it’s at #1 or after moving down a few spots, they should focus on building a line. You need to be good in the trenches. This is the kind of class where hitting a double should be seen as success. There aren’t going to be many, if any, home runs.
Francis Mauigoa and Spencer Fano are not typical #1 overall picks — but you have to play the cards you’re dealt. Insert either at right tackle and be happy about it. If you can move down a few spots and still get one of them, even better.
3. Add a new, experienced quarterback
The Geno Smith ‘era’ is surely over. The Raiders fans are not buying what he’s selling. They should move on and find a new bridge quarterback.
If Kirk Cousins leaves Atlanta, he could be an option. We know the Shanahan system favours Cousins. Klint Kubiak could get some passable football out of him for a season, with no pressure to make this anything more than a temporary fix.
Another alternative could be Derek Carr. There’s talk he might come out of retirement. Kubiak coached him in New Orleans and Carr is seen as something of a Raiders hero.
Build your team and let a veteran lead the transition to the future.
4. Draft a quarterback later on
They should continue trying to build the trenches and overall roster with any other stock they have in the first three rounds. Take a quarterback later on. The Shanahan offense reached Super Bowls with Jimmy Garoppolo, Brock Purdy and Sam Darnold at quarterback. Find someone to develop.
Someone like Garrett Nussmeier would be perfect at the top of round four, or via moving back into the third. He’s well suited to the system. There’s no reason why he can’t succeed given time to learn the offense. Sitting him behind a Cousins or Carr, while building up the rest of the roster is a plan that makes some sense.
It’s possible the Raiders convince themselves that Mendoza is a future NFL great. I can’t see it — but they might rate him very highly. If they only see him as ‘good’ and not ‘great’ they should be prepared to do the opposite of what everyone is projecting.
The Seahawks just showed you need a team. Mendoza is not a generational player. Too many teams attach themselves to the idea of going quarterback for the sake of it. It’s time to normalise creating a ‘team’.
Don’t force things at quarterback. Build up your roster. Accept this will take time.
So, here’s a fresh look at round one:
