Aidan O'Connell Will Be Surrounded by Winning Quarterbacks

The Las Vegas Raiders traded up in the fourth round to select Purdue quarterback Aidan O’Connell in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Raiders’ plan was always to select a quarterback at some point in this draft, and they landed one with accuracy and velocity. O’Connell is also one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in Purdue history, ranking sixth all-time in passing yards, and fifth all-time in passing touchdowns.

O’Connell was projected as a day three selection, but was lauded for his football IQ, accuracy, and anticipatory throwing. Some attributes of O’Connell’s game have been compared to new Raiders minority owner and all-time great quarterback Tom Brady.

What O’Connell lacks in physical tools, he makes up for in intelligence. General Manager Dave Ziegler praised O’Connell’s leadership and intangibles.

O’Connell probably will not see the field much for the Raiders this season, but he has the potential to be the team’s long-term starter going forward. That's because the quarterbacks and coaches around him have done a lot of winning.

Jimmy Garoppolo, the Raiders’ expected starter for the 2023 season, has a 44-19 record as a starter, including the playoffs, where he has appeared in three Super Bowls, starting in one of them. Garoppolo has been a winner for both teams he has played on.

The Raiders also signed Brian Hoyer in free agency, a player who has familiarity with Coach Josh McDaniels, winning the Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in 2019 when McDaniels was the Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach.

These three have won several Super Bowls, so O’Connell has the opportunity to learn from quarterbacks and coaches who know what it takes to be successful in the NFL. Similarly, Garoppolo and Hoyer also are quarterbacks with athletic limitations, and they can help O’Connell overcome his limitations as a traditional pocket passing quarterback.

There’s no certainty that O’Connell will be the Raiders’ quarterback of the future, but he can give himself a great shot by sitting and learning from the two in front of him. With the experience and winning pedigree Hoyer and Garoppolo share, Aidan O’Connell can receive invaluable knowledge about what it takes to be a successful quarterback in the NFL.

The Raiders' offseason workout schedule is as follows:

OTA Offseason workouts: May 22-23, May 25, May 31-June 2, June 12-15

Mandatory Minicamp: June 6-8

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