The Oakland Raiders are coming into the 2014 NFL draft with some major decisions to make and with a possible Terrelle Pryor trade to the Eagles or Browns an option, reports have the team liking quarterback Derek Carr over Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles, Sammy Watkins and the other top prospects in the draft.
General manager Reggie McKenzie and head coach Dennis Allen have major decisions to make and the way the draft plays out will depend on what the team wants to do at quarterback for next season. The Raiders have a top five draft pick and they should be able to get a talented player at that spot, but the team could also look to the free agent market for a veteran bridge quarterback option like Michael Vick or Josh McCown, while a Pryor trade and names like Kirk Cousins and Ryan Mallett also could be available.
According to Pro Football Talk, the Raiders favor Carr over Manziel and with months left until the draft that could change for the team, but for right now they like the Fresno State quarterback after his combine performance. Much has been made about the size of Manziel, but if he drops to five it would be hard for the Raiders to pass on him, but right now the team is looking at Carr as the better option over Manziel. The report comes from Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times and he cites the fact that the team likes Carr after the combine and that they like to make "unconventional picks".
Many think the team will look at Sammy Watkins as a pick since he has such blazing speed and great production in college and if Clowney makes it to number five, expect him to be the pick as well. Carr had some amazing stats in college while at Fresno State, passing for 5,082 yards last season with 50 touchdowns and just eight interceptions and in his career he has 113 scores, just 24 picks and over 12,000 yards passing.
Scouts like Bortles for his size over Manziel and those names could be gone by the time the Raiders pick and if they fall in love with Carr, they might even be able to trade down for the pick and take him anyway. The team did that last season with the Dolphins and got the man they wanted in DJ Hayden and now that could play out again. Teddy Bridgewater will also be in the mix and many feel that he is most NFL ready of the prospects right now.
Carr had some great years in college and while he played at Fresno, he lit things up and had over 3,500 years each season and he increased his yards, touchdowns and completion percentage each year, completing nearly 69 percent of his passes last season. Manziel is an exciting option and it would be hard for the Raiders to pass on him, but if they like Carr so much they just might do it, but Manziel has the numbers as well after passing for 7,820 yards and 63 touchdowns and rushing for 2,169 yards and 30 TDs in his college career.