Bay Area Sports: Ranking the Top 30 Players

Nov 15, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) attempts a pass against the Minnesota Vikings in the first quarter at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

#7 – Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders

Derek Carr was the fourth quarterback taken in the 2014 NFL Draft, but he’s wasted little time proving that he could have, and maybe should have been the first. He was named the week one starter for the Raiders, and despite not having a lot of help around him, enjoyed a fine rookie season.

Carr set Oakland rookie records by completing 348 passes in 599 attempts while throwing for 3,270 yards and 21 touchdowns. His pass attempts were the second-most by any quarterback in Raider history while the completions were third. His yardage his the 12th-best season in team history. That all came with a subpar receivers group and a nearly non-existent run game.

In 2015, with a rebuilt and more productive offense around him, Carr has flourished. He’s completing passes at a six-percent higher rate than his rookie year, and is 10th in the NFL in passing yards, at 2,565. He’s already surpassed his rookie season touchdown total with 21, along with half the interceptions (six so far this year, compared to 12 last year).

It’s been a long time since the Raiders have had a franchise quarterback lining up under center. After the days of Terrelle Pryor and JaMarcus Russell, the Carr era is a breath of fresh air for the Raiders’ faithful.

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