Getty Oregon QB Bo Nix.
The Las Vegas Raiders may make a big decision on a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft but they have to make sure they find the right one. The team went 8-9 last season despite issues at the position. If they can add the right one in the draft, the Raiders could be a playoff team this season.
However, adding the wrong one could set the team back. Oregon’s Bo Nix could be an option for the Raiders but Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine believes that’s the one quarterback Las Vegas should avoid.
“Nix is already 24 years old, so it’s fair to wonder if he’s reached the peak of his development,” Ballentine wrote in an April 20 column. “His accuracy is nice, but his ceiling isn’t as high as some of the other quarterback prospects in this year’s draft.
“The Raiders are the quarterback-needy team that’s best suited to take a patient approach. They would be better off riding out a year of Gardner Minshew at quarterback than reaching on Nix at No. 13.”
Nix set the NCAA record for completion percentage in a single season in 2023 at 77.45%. While the accuracy is there, he doesn’t have a ton of arm talent. The Raiders want to be able to throw the ball downfield and Nix isn’t the best option for that type of offense.
Bo Nix Has Bust Potential
Bo Nix is one of the more difficult quarterbacks to evaluate in the draft. His stats were impressive in college and he did a lot of winning at Oregon. Despite that, Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report believes that Nix has a 75% chance of being a bust in the NFL.
“With a decorated college resume and ample starting experience, Nix could compete for a starting job on a team with an unsettled quarterback situation,” Moton wrote in an April 21 column.
“However, even with Nix’s gaudy passing numbers, he doesn’t have the ‘it’ factor with his arm talent. Nix’s mobility will help him escape pocket pressure, but beyond that, he seems dependent on scheme rather than elevating an offense with his playmaking ability.”
The hit rate on first-round pick quarterbacks is very low and there’s a chance that are six selected this year. It’s more likely that half of them are busts than half of them being Pro Bowlers. Nix appears to be a strong candidate to be one of the busts.
Which QB Is Ideal Fit for Las Vegas Raiders?
The best fit for the Raiders is LSU’s Jayden Daniels. The team clearly would like to add him and there appears to be mutual interest. Head coach Antonio Pierce was his recruiting coordinator at Arizona State and the two formed a relationship in that time. Daniels is likely to be a top-three pick so the Raiders would have to trade up to get him.
Trading up into the top three will prove expensive. If Daniels isn’t possible, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. makes some sense. Unlike Bo Nix, he has a big arm and can throw the ball over the field. He has injury concerns but if he can stay healthy, he could be a good quarterback for the Raiders.
