Oakland Raiders: One Key Area They Addressed In The 2013 NFL Draft

Apr 23, 2013; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie speaks at press conference at the Raiders team headquarters. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Oakland Raiders made a lot of different picks in this year’s 2013 NFL Draft.

Whether it was guys with a miracle story like cornerback D.J. Hayden, guys who made some bold statements after being drafted like linebacker Sio Moore, or even a solid offensive lineman like Menelik Watson out of Florida State.

But one of the key areas that the Raiders made a wise choice with was the quartetback position.

Sure, they already have Matt Flynn and Terrelle Pryor, but it’s always good to have depth behind just your first two players, especially with a quarterback.

Plus, nobody knows for sure how valuable and productive Flynn or Pryor will be, so drafting a young gun to follow their footsteps was a pretty smart idea. That idea sounds even smarter when the draft pick was in the fourth round, and that is was also Tyler Wilson, quarterback out of Arkansas.

Wilson is a solid quarterback and a brilliant fourth-round choice. He has the arm to make almost every NFL pass, and that really shouldn’t be a problem for him. Overall, he is pretty accurate when it comes to completing the right passes even in the tightest of windows.

I believe that Wilson has everything in him to eventually became the starting and franchise quarterback of the, and that is the main reason that I agree so heavily with general manager Reggie McKenzie on this draft choice, especially when you can get him in the fourth round. I think Wilson was a steal (remind you of anyone else?) in this 2013 NFL Draft.

Aside from his production on the field, Wilson actually has a legitimate shot at the starting quarterback position. Flynn and Pryor have only started a combined three games in the NFL, and at this point you could say the spot is wide open. Just take a look at Russell Wilson, a third-round draft pick in last year’s NFL Draft who came to the Seattle Seahawks and played remarkably through training camp and the preseason, which eventually lead to him snagging the starting job over newly-acquired Matt Flynn.

Now, Flynn is on the Raiders and will probably do everything possible to not let the same situation happen again. To not let another rookie take his starting job.

All in all, Wilson wasn’t the best quarterback in the 2013 NFL Draft, but he was a good one. He will have plenty of time to develop and work on his craft, and if he doesn’t start right away then he should not be discouraged.

This was one of the Raiders’ areas of concern that they filled very nicely, as they have been looking to draft a good quarterback for a couple of years now.