Oakland Raiders: Theory behind Jon Gruden’s affinity for Drew Lock
Are the Oakland Raiders interested in Missouri quarterback Drew Lock or do they have an ulterior motive for keeping tabs on him?
For those enamored with the rumor mill, analysts have speculated about Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden’s interest in Drew Lock. Sports Illustrated’s Kalyn Kahler discussed her reasoning for pairing the quarterback with the Silver and Black in an early mock draft, saying the Raiders head coach was very much in on Lock and “the word ‘love’ was used to describe” the feelings Gruden had about the quarterback
Following Senior Bowl week, word about the Denver Broncos’ eyes on Lock also made waves around the league. Tony Pauline of Draftanalyst.com predicted the Missouri product would go 10th with some inside information. “As mentioned on our podcast last Tuesday, everything I’ve heard since the Shrine Game has the Broncos selecting Lock,” he wrote.
Within the same division, the Los Angeles Chargers may select a quarterback who will take the baton from Philip Rivers once he decides to retire. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Lock visited with them early April:
Missouri QB Drew Lock is embarking on an AFC West swing, heading to Denver today for a pre-draft visit with the #Broncos, then to L.A. tomorrow to visit the #Chargers, source said. Both teams doing their homework on the draft’s top QBs.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 7, 2019
Gruden’s affinity for Lock may be rooted in the quarterback’s appeal to Oakland’s division rivals. If the Missouri signal-caller goes to the Broncos or Chargers, it behooves the Raiders to know what they may face twice a year in the near future.
The Broncos could select Lock with the 10th overall pick. If he slips, the Chargers may take him at 28; Denver would have a second chance at 41.
Gruden may have a genuine interest in Lock. His love for quarterbacks may give him the urge to take the former Tiger if he’s available late in the first round or at 35. Nonetheless, with all the roster needs and Derek Carr going into a crucial season, it makes little sense to bring in high-potential quarterback competition instead of solid pieces around the current franchise signal-caller or defensive talent.
It seems a bit aggressive to take Lock with the fourth overall pick if Carr is indeed the 2019 starter. At Nos. 24 and 27, the Raiders could add a big-body tight end to replace Jared Cook, take a running back to balance the offensive attack or continue to address a defensive unit that ranked last in scoring in 2018.
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The Raiders have been connected to three of the top quarterback prospects in this class, Kyler Murray, Dwayne Haskins and Lock, but tout Carr as the franchise centerpiece. Unless one of the incoming prospects blew Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock away, we’re probably looking at a Raiders’ misdirection in the pre-draft process.
If the Broncos or Chargers select Lock, Mayock should have several pages in his binder that he can readily share with his coaching staff for future division matchups.