Should the Raiders Wait for Texas' Arch Manning?

The Las Vegas Raiders are undoubtedly in the market for a quarterback. However, with no quarterbacks who are surefire picks in this upcoming NFL Draft, should the Raiders wait on the following draft to address the quarterback position?

Nov 30, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) runs the ball during the first half against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

There are no quarterbacks entering the upcoming NFL Draft that are anywhere near a guarantee to have a successful career in the National Football League. When drafting players, general managers and scouts often take into consideration whether or not a player has had family members that played in the league, especially at the quarterback position.

These are two facts that are undeniable and has the potential to directly impact the Las Vegas Raiders over the next two offseasons. The Raiders currently have the first overall draft pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, and many believe they will use that pick on a quarterback.

The Raiders have struggled at the quarterback position for much of the last two seasons and will soon be in position to adequately address the position. With the Raiders potentially having the very first pick, and even without it, the Raiders are not bound to outside opinions of what they should do.

However, with a high draft pick comes added scrutiny to get the pick right. This is even especially the case for a quarterback.

There are no guarantees that any player at any position will pan out in the NFL. However, there are plenty of instances of quarterbacks and players at other positions who entered the league and lived up to their lofty expectations.

Raiders general manager Tom Telesco's experience around the NFL came with two of the most talented quarterbacks to ever play in the league, Justin Herbert and Peyton Manning. While the quarterback position must be addressed there are no quarterbacks in the upcoming draft that have anywhere near upside that comes with being a true top-tier quarterback.

In addition to there not being a quarterback worth Telesco betting his job on, the Raiders also have numerous holes they need to fill.

The Raiders are much more than a quarterback away from being a consistently competitive team, it may be worth their consideration to go with the best player available when they draft this season, like they did when they drafted rookie sensation Brock Bowers.

Las Vegas could find themselves in position to draft a mature and battle-tested Arch Manning in 2026, after spending the past offseason and the next offseason, stocking the team with talent. Doing so would put Manning in a favorable position upon entering the league, with Aidan O'Connell serving as the veteran backup quarterback.

While it would be risky and require the Raiders to have another subpar season to be within striking distance to land Manning, drafting a quarterback from a family filled with successful NFL quarterbacks could be much less of a risk than drafting a quarterback in the first round this offseason and that quarterback not being succesful.

Assuming he is still with the team, Telescos' history with the Manning family could quietly play a large role in this potentially happening. Waiting on Manning could be worth the Raiders' consideration.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and IG @HondoSr and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.