Outsider’s Edge: From Raiders Satire To Raiders “Reality?”

Man, when I scribbled my initial mock draft — a satirical one at that — it was rife with sarcasm. Full of jest, I postulated the Las Vegas Raiders would take Kentucky quarterback Will Levis with the No. 7 overall pick.

But all of a sudden, is Raiders satire going to become Raiders reality? With every passing week comes a myriad of mock drafts, but there’s a common theme building amongst them: Levis is projected for the Raiders.

But why was my projection of Levis a wisecrack notion?

Let’s start here: Levis’ NFL comparison is Jay Cutler. Look up how the relationship between Cutler and Josh McDaniels went when both were Denver Broncos.

Levis is a cannon-armed quarterback who lacks consistent confidence, decision-making, and rhythm, and it’ll take time for a coaching staff to refine that and work on his mechanics. Do the Raiders have that kind of time considering two things: 1. Is there pressure on the power twins of general manager Dave Ziegler and McDaniels to win now in 2023? 2. The team lacks a bridge quarterback to man the spot this coming season.

Yet, the bridge-type QB likely comes in a few weeks during free agency. Whether that’s the return of Jarrett Stidham or the potential additions of fellow ex-New England Patriots Jacoby Brissett or Jimmy Garoppolo, it remains to be seen.

What will the Raiders’ power duo decide?

Whatever the decision, expect owner Mark Davis to be involved every step of the way.

“It’s just a philosophical thing that you have to make a decision on,” Ziegler said during a pre-combine media chat. “And you have to be aligned from the top of the organization down if you draft a young guy and you’re going to commit to that person sitting all year and learning. I think you just have to have that communication on the front end because there might be some things to stomach.”

I expect a veteran presence in the QB room this month as the Raiders head into April’s NFL Draft.

Which brings us back to Levis. The kid looks tremendous at 6-foot-4 and 229 pounds. And his strong arm was on full display at the NFL Combine last week. He’s got the prototypical build that NFL personnel people covet, and Levis has the wheels to become a nuisance when he wants to take off and run. Kentucky runs a pro-style offense, and Levis was afforded the ability to take snaps directly under center, something that’s disappearing a lot in the collegiate game and being used more in the pro game.

Levis threw 43 touchdowns and 23 interceptions during his stint at Kentucky and ran for 11 more scores.

But man, is that Howitzer arm like a buckshot shell rather than a precise slug? Levis can thread the needle and beat defenders by getting the ball to a receiver with quickness, but when it needs touch and accuracy, it’s all over the place. Yet, when it comes to deep throws, Levis is an upper-echelon prospect. YOLO bombs are where this kid is going to excel.