The Raiders don’t need a quarterback, certainly not high in this week’s NFL draft. They’ve got a solid three-deep with starter Derek Carr leading the charge. If all goes as planned, Carr starts each game in 2015 and many more beyond that.
Even so, the Raiders should be huge Marcus Mariota fans. They obviously don’t plan to select the Oregon quarterback, but it’s of great benefit if others covet him early in this draft.
There’s significant talk of Mariota getting selected No. 2 overall either by Tennessee or a trade partner. That would set the Raiders up to select the second-best non-quarterback in this draft. With the talent at the top, that's a good thing.
Jacksonville has the pick of that litter at No. 3 overall. They drafted quarterback Blake Bortles third last year, and will aim to build strength on offense or defense. Florida edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. is most often associated with the Jaguars, though they’ve also been linked USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams and Alabama receiver Amari Cooper.
[BAIR: First-round mock draft: Raiders go with defense]
The Raiders would be left with all but one of those picks, and likely have West Virginia receiver Kevin White on the board.
That’s a good position for the Raiders, though they wouldn’t admit to pulling for a high Mariota selection.
“When we’re ready to pick, we want our player there,” Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie said. “It really doesn’t matter who goes before our pick as long as it’s not the player we want – Marcus or anyone else.”
Having Mariota selected second would increase that possibility. If he remains available at No. 4 overall, that could still help the Raiders. He might add significant trade value to the pick, especially with quarterback-hungry teams just below them on the draft board. Teams might want to vault over those teams -- the New York Jets at No. 6, for example -- to secure Mariota's services.
McKenzie has said he’ll listen to trade offers for the No. 4 pick. He could trade down some, pick up some extra picks and still get a player he covets.
“Any possibility of trade when the talk is so much on a couple of players, it’s hard to figure that part out,” McKenzie said. “That’s what makes the draft what it is. That’s why everybody is excited and trying to figure it out, because you never know what will happen.”
There is uncertainty where Mariota will land, but it’s already a plus that he shined in the pre-draft process. He's proved to be a high-character player and a quality passer despite concerns about him being a system quarterback. And, in such a thin draft class, Mariota is seen as a far-superior option to quarterbacks outside Florida State's Jameis Winston.
While Mariota could still fall down the draft board as other top passers have, the Raiders could benefit from the buzz around him and certainly will if a team wants him in the first four picks.
