When the pick rang in, not every fan of the Las Vegas Raiders was happy. The fans wanted a quarterback despite the fact that everyone knew Brock Bowers was one of the best players in the draft. But the Raiders' dream of drafting one in the first round was not in the cards.
It all began at pick No. 8. In a move that left us all astounded, the Atlanta Falcons were about to do something unprecedented. Despite securing Kirk Cousins with a substantial contract in free agency, fully guaranteed through 2025, they opted to draft quarterback Michael Penix at No. 8.
The Raiders were not able to trade up for QB Jayden Daniels, who went No. 2 overall to the Washington Commanders, as most of us thought he would. Their next prospect, or top prospect, I should say, was Penix, as quarterback is their biggest need. So, when that happened, you can assume they had cornerback and offensive tackle on their mind.
Instead, unlike the Atlanta Falcons, the Raiders adopted a strategic approach, a common practice in the first round. They selected a player they believed was too good to pass up, particularly considering their offensive struggles just a year ago.
The Raiders didn't need a tight end, as they drafted Michael Mayer very high just a season ago, but why not grab another one to have two of the best young talents in the league? The Raiders figured that if they cannot get a quarterback, why not try to improve everything else around the quarterback to make life easier for Aidan O'Connell or Gardner Minshew - whoever it may be?
The draft pick makes sense in that aspect. But when you look at the true value the Raiders got, you start to see that Tom Telesco killed the draft. He already had a better draft than any of the last two regimes ever had, and these guys haven't even played a snap yet.
The true value of the Raiders' draft really shone through with the selection of Brock Bowers. It's becoming increasingly clear that this pick was not just good, but one of the best in the entire draft, a fact that should ignite excitement among Raiders fans.
According to the esteemed Next Gen Stats Analytics Team, their draft model, designed to identify the five best value picks in Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft, ranked the Raiders' selection of Bowers as the best value in the draft. Bowers scored an impressive 96 on their value scale, surpassing the second highest, Rome Odunze to the Chicago Bears, who scored a 91. This recognition should fill Raiders fans with pride.
It's pretty obvious that the Raiders are doing something right so far.
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