New mock draft has Raiders making blockbuster trade for No. 1 pick

The Las Vegas Raiders are one of the teams that could set their sights on selecting a quarterback during the 2023 NFL Draft. With Derek Carr set to move on this offseason, the quarterback position is certainly a major need for the franchise.

Las Vegas could opt to go the veteran route, checking in with a free agent such as Jimmy Garoppolo, or could seek out a trade, possibly for Aaron Rodgers. If the Raiders strike out on veterans or opt against pursuing one, the draft provides them an opportunity to find a long-term answer.

Currently sitting in the No. 7 spot in the draft, the Raiders could wait to see how the board falls ahead of them and hope a quarterback falls to them. But, the draft is full of randomness, so the Raiders could be better off getting aggressive and going to get their guy.

The only way to guarantee that you get the player that is No. 1 on your draft board is to have the first pick in the draft, which the Raiders acquire in this mock draft. Las Vegas trades up with the Chicago Bears to land the No. 1 overall pick and selects Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud.

To make this deal happen, the Raiders send the No. 7 and 38 overall picks in the 2023 NFL Draft to Chicago along with a first- and second-round pick in 2024. That is a steep price to pay, but to acquire talent you need to part with something of value — and the Raiders certainly do that in this scenario.

Young is considered by many to be the top pocket passer prospect in this year’s draft class, and the goal for any team looking to select a quarterback is to get ahead of the Houston Texans, who are selecting second. Stroud’s performance during the Buckeyes’ playoff game against the Georgia Bulldogs quieted a lot of the doubters and cemented his status as one of the top prospects in this year’s draft class.

With Justin Fields locked in as the starting quarterback, this is a great opportunity for Bears general manager Ryan Poles to acquire a haul of draft capital to reshape the roster with. In this scenario, the Raiders oblige, sending back four selections in exchange for the No. 1 overall pick.