While NFL Draft plans are finalized, the Las Vegas Raiders will meet with another elite player to……..

For general manager Tom Telesco and new head coach Antonio Pierce, it may be a franchise-changing choice. They have been given the task of making a difference in Sin City after two disappointing seasons.

What the Raiders decide at 13 could shape the franchise for years to come, especially considering that Josh McDaniels was ousted by the team after less than two seasons as head coach. After all, since way back in 2002, the Raiders have had two winning seasons.

Of course, the quarterback position will take center stage in this discussion. Following Jimmy Garoppolo’s disastrous one-year experiment, Vegas moved on. In order to potentially compete with Aidan O’Connell, a 2023 mid-round pick, at center, it signed experienced journeyman Gardner Minshew.

However,

After inheriting a franchise quarterback in Philip Rivers, Tom Telesco had the luxury of selecting Justin Herbert with the sixth overall pick in a competitive 2020 quarterback class that also featured Joe Burrow (number one overall), Tua Tagovailoa (number five overall), Jordan Love (number 26 overall), and Jalen Hurts (number 53).

Telesco didn’t have to change the order of the draft in 2020 in order to secure a top quarterback prospect. Therefore, we are unable to accurately assess what he might or might not accomplish to secure a top player for the position this year.

However, Telesco just selected Max Duggan (2023 seventh-round pick) and Easton Stick (2019 fifth-round pick) as backups. When it comes to movement, both quarterbacks are more athletic than Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew.

Stick played four seasons at North Dakota State, rushing for 2,523 yards and 41 touchdowns. At TCU, Duggan rushed 1,856 yards and scored 28 touchdowns.

Watch how a passer moves in the pocket to determine a quarterback’s mobility rather than just counting rushing yards. Telesco obviously prefers mobile signal-callers.

In the unlikely event that the Raiders select a quarterback early in the draft, Telesco might go after a “toolsy” quarterback who is noticeably more explosive than O’Connell and Minshew.