The second round of the NFL Draft could see a large number of quarterbacks taken off the board. Many teams made a run on offensive linemen and defensive ends and will set their focus to skill players on Day 2. All but one of the top quarterback prospects remain. Only E.J. Manuel was taken in the first round after Buffalo selected him. This leaves teams in search of a quarterback with plenty of options and time to make a decision. The Oakland Raiders currently have Matt Flynn as their presumed starter, but are in the market to draft another player. They team reportedly has set their sights towards Matt Barkley.
The Raiders will draft eleventh (42) in the second round. That likely means they will not be able to get a player like Geno Smith or Ryan Nassib. However, Barkley could easily fall right into their lap. Barkley would give the Raiders a younger option outside of Flynn and possibly set them up for long-term success. Flynn is 27-years old and with just two career starts under his belt, he is not considered a lock as a starting quarterback.
Barkley was considered a lock to be the best quarterback in the NFL draft until he opted to stay in school for his senior year. He struggled most of the season, seeing a drop in his stats compared to 2011. Barkley threw 15 interceptions in his senior seasons compared to only seven in his junior year. Then, he suffered a shoulder injury in USC's game against UCLA that prevented him from throwing at the NFL Combine and have an underwhelming Pro Day. By the time the draft rolled around, his stock was out of the first round.
That is not stopping the Raiders from considering him as a strong option. The Raiders believe they can mold Barkley into being the quarterback of the future. Oakland gave up draft picks in 2014 and 2015 in order to get Flynn. They cannot afford to trade up to get Barkley, but they also cannot leave this draft without grabbing another quality quarterback. If Flynn proves to not be successful, they will need another option.
