2019 Mock Draft: Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray to the Raiders?

Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma quarterback Kyle Murray may be the most polarizing prospect in the 2019 NFL draft. Old-school scouts will refuse to believe a 5-foot-10 quarterback is worthy of a first-round pick, while new-school analysts will refer to Baker Mayfield and Russell Wilson as proof that height doesn’t matter.

According to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, Murray’s undersized frame won’t stop him from being a top-five pick. Zierlein sent him to the Raiders at No. 4 overall in his first 2019 mock draft of the year.

“This is not just some click-bait pick,” Zierlein wrote. “Murray doesn’t have prototypical size. Yeah, I get it. However, when you look at his ability to make winning plays, Murray stands out way above the rest of this year’s QB class. He can be weaved into the offense in 2019 and take over for Derek Carr in a year.”

I agree with Zierlein’s take on this. If the NFL views Murray’s height as a negative, then they haven’t learned a thing from recent history. The league has become a high-flying and wide-open display of offense in recent years and a player with Murray’s dynamic skill set is tailormade to take advantage of the game’s spacing and RPO style of play.

Murray can throw the ball as well or better than any quarterback in this year’s NFL draft class. He’s not limited to making plays with his legs. In fact, Murray’s arm talent is first-round worthy and if he was 6-foot-3, teams would be lining up to draft him with the first overall pick.

So, no, it isn’t crazy to imagine a reality where Murray is a Raider. The bigger question is what will become of current starter, Derek Carr.

Carr set a career-high in passing yards (4,049) and completion percentage (68.9) last season despite a general perception that he had a bad year. If the Raiders decide to draft a quarterback in the first round, they’ll have many suitors calling to acquire Carr in what would represent the final move by Jon Gruden in his effort to break up the big three: Khalil Mack, Amari Cooper and Carr.

For Zierlein’s complete 2019 mock draft, click here.

Bryan Perez

Bryan is the founder of Pro Football Draft. His work has been featured on The Draft Network, NBC Sports and USA Today. Former CFL scout.

Follow him on Twitter: @BryanPerezNFL