The Raiders were expected to be among the teams considering a quarterback with their first-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Armed with the 13th overall picked, Las Vegas was seen as a prime landing spot for Washington quarterback Michael Penix. Some also believed Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco would try to trade up to select a player like Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, or J.J. McCarthy if the right offer came about.
Instead, the Falcons shocked the world by selecting Penix with the No. 8 overall pick despite having signed Kirk Cousins during the 2024 NFL offseason. The Vikings then chose McCarthy after trading up to the No. 10 pick while the Broncos selected Bo Nix at No. 12 to avoid being shut out of the quarterback sweepstakes.
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The Raiders managed to get Brock Bowers at 13, but there are certainly questions about what the team will do at quarterback in 2024. They didn’t necessarily need a quarterback; they have Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell on the roster, both of whom comported themselves well as starters after beginning the 2023 season as backups for the Colts and Raiders respectively.
Still, many believed Las Vegas would be on the hunt for upside at the position. They may have missed out on it in the first round, but a handful of signal-callers could garner consideration for the team’s picks on the second and third days of the draft.
Here’s a look at their top targets with the Raiders looking like one of the most quarterback-needy teams after Round 1.
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Raiders QB options: Top QBs in 2024 NFL Draft
Spencer Rattler
- College: South Carolina
- Projected round: Round 2-3
Rattler is the best remaining quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft and is the lone signal-caller expected to be selected on Day 2. The South Carolina product completed 68.9 percent of his passes for 3,186 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions last season despite playing behind a porous offensive line.
Rattler never quite lived up to his lofty recruiting status in college. Still, he has the arm talent, functional mobility, and experience needed to continue growing at the NFL level. He would provide the Raiders with upside at quarterback and a player that offensive coordinator Luke Getsy can attempt to mold into an effective starter.
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Joe Milton
- College: Tennessee
- Projected: Round 4-5
If the Raiders are looking for a potential-packed prospect, Milton would be a good addition to their quarterback room. The cannon-armed Tennessee product has prototypical size at 6-5, 235 pounds and great athleticism that makes him an intriguing developmental project for NFL offensive coordinators.
Milton completed 64.7 percent of his passes for 2,813 yards, 20 touchdowns, and five interceptions during his final season at Tennessee. He will need time to improve his overall accuracy and ball placement in a pro-style offense, but he’d be an ideal third-string quarterback for the Raiders. He needs time to develop, but his ceiling is higher than both Minshew’s and O’Connell’s.
Michael Pratt
- College: Tulane
- Projected: Round 4-5
Pratt fits the O’Connell mold as a mid-round prospect with a safe floor as a solid backup in the NFL. The Tulane product improved his completion percentage each season with the Green Wave and completed 65.4 percent of his passes for 2,406 yards, 22 touchdowns, and just five interceptions in his last college season.
Pratt’s physical talent isn’t eye-popping, but his experience and pocket presence should make him a solid NFL player. The Raiders could select him to add competition to their quarterback room, but it seems more likely that they’d target Rattler or Milton given their respective ceilings.
MORE: Who are the best players remaining after Round 1 of 2024 NFL Draft?
Jordan Travis
- College: Florida State
- Projected: Round 5-7
Travis is another quarterback who could draw consideration for the Raiders on Day 3. The Florida State product became known as a tough gamer during his five seasons with the Seminoles, and he completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 2,756 yards, 20 touchdowns, and just two interceptions in 11 games during the 2023 season.
Like Pratt, Travis doesn’t have the greatest physical tools, and his 6-1 frame may hurt him. So, too, will the fact that he’s returning from a gruesome, season-ending leg injury, so it remains to be seen just how close he is to 100 percent.
That’s part of the reason that Travis has such a wide draft range. Still, his toughness might appeal to Antonio Pierce, so he may be content to take a flier on Travis given his arm talent.
Sam Hartman
- College: Notre Dame
- Projected round: Rounds 6-7
Hartman may fall to the ranks of the undrafted, but he played six seasons combined at Wake Forest and Notre Dame, so his experience may be enough to get him selected in the draft’s final rounds.
Hartman has a Colt McCoy-like skill set. He doesn’t have the best arm, but he has a gunslinger’s mentality and an ability to become an off-script playmaker. He also is prone to bouts of inaccuracy and turnovers, so it’s worth wondering whether the Raiders would view him as a player who can really compete with Minshew and O’Connell.
Nonetheless, Hartman is a player the Raiders will have on their radar late in the draft. He may end up being selected even if it’s only to challenge Anthony Brown for the third-string role in Las Vegas’ offense.