All right, maybe Aidan O’Connell is not the answer at quarterback in Las Vegas after all. Not that such a judgment would be made after just one game, but if the Raiders close out 2023 with more O’Connell performances like the one we saw on December 10 against the Vikings, a 3-0 disaster, the Raiders will need to do something about their quarterback situation. And that could be making a bold trade, according to DraftKings’ third mock draft, moving all the way up to No. 1 to pick USC’s Caleb Williams.
Bold, indeed. The journey from the No. 8 pick to the No. 1 pick is a long one. The move certainly would be an old school Raiders-esque kind of trade of the Ted Hendricks or Daryle LaMonica type that Al Davis once made. DraftKings’ Nick Simon, referenced that in summing up the hypothetical move.
“Between Jimmy Garoppolo and Aidan O’Connell, the Silver and Black clearly do not have a QB on the roster that can lead this franchise into the future,” he wrote in a story published December 10. “And even with this being a QB-heavy draft, some of the top prospects may be gone by No. 8. So in this week’s mock exercise, we’ll project Mark Davis channeling his father by trading a draft haul to the Bears to select Williams with the No. 1 pick.”
How Much Would No. 1 Pick Cost the Raiders?
One of the big questions about the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft is what the Chicago Bears would seek from the Raiders in exchange for it. The pick belongs to Carolina, but the Panthers sent their first-rounder to Chicago for last year’s No. 1 pick, and the Panthers selected quarterback Bryce Young. But Young has had no impact on the Panthers in the standings, so the Bears are in position to have the top pick again.
With quarterback Justin Fields guiding the Bears to three wins in their past four games, there is some notion that he could stick around in Chicago. That is something of a change, after a season of rumors that suggested the Bears would trade and start over at quarterback. The top pick would be used on Williams in that situation, at least in most NFL mock drafts
The haul for the 2023 No. 1 pick was big. The Bears got the Panthers’ first-rounder in 2023, a second-rounder in 2023, the 2024 first-rounder, a 2025 second-round pick plus star receiver D.J. Moore for the No. 1 overall selection. But the Raiders are not going to give up a haul like that, and it is unlikely that anyone else would, not with what’s happened to Carolina (1-13) since picking Young.
Caleb Williams: Still No. 1 in NFL Mock Draft?
Still, this is a strong draft for quarterbacks, and while the Raiders could land a solid prospect at No. 8, Williams is the pick of the litter in most NFL mock drafts. If you are going to start over with a rookie quarterback, why not get the best one available?
And though there is a case to be made for Raiders to look at other quarterbacks in the upcoming draft — Drake Maye of North Carolina, Jayden Daniels of LSU — Williams is still the most electric player on the board in the short and long terms, drawing comparisons to Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. The Raiders need that level of player.
Williams has thrown for 8,170 yards in two seasons at USC, with 71 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. A string of five losses in six games to close the year has perhaps hurt his stock, but that will likely change once the NFL’s Combine rolls around.
As The Ringer wrote of Williams: “Along the way, he’s earned Patrick Mahomes comparisons, thanks in part to his ability to make Houdini-like escapes from the pocket and produce astounding, off-platform throws to open receivers downfield. This year, Caleb Williams is somehow living up to that supernova hype.”
And if you’re Mark Davis of the Raiders, isn’t it a supernova you are after?
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