NFL Draft 2016: Why did the Raiders take Connor Cook?
The Oakland Raiders spent a fourth round pick on Michigan State Spartans quarterback Connor Cook.
Reggie McKenzie hit a home run with the selection of Derek Carr in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft out of Fresno State and he had a breakout year in 2015. Carr completed 61.1 percent of his passes for 3,987 yards with 32 touchdowns and only 13 interceptions.
He’s the franchise quarterback the Raiders have lacked for decades and can build the offense around Carr and 2015’s first round pick Amari Cooper and be in a position to compete for the AFC West division title or at least, a wild card spot with their defense led by Khalil Mack.
So why would the Raiders spend a fourth round pick on Michigan State’s Connor Cook in the 2016 NFL Draft?
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It’s an interesting pick considering Carr’s presence and youth and would appear the Raiders plan to have Cook serve only in a reserve role. This is not what Cook was hoping would be his career outlook entering the draft as he had aspirations of sneaking into the late part of the first round or figured to be called early on Day 2.
Or you can view the selection of Cook in the fourth round as McKenzie seeing too much value in Cook that he couldn’t pass up a quarterback who could have been a late one or early second round pick. That’s what I think this is.
That’s not a bad strategy and it provides insurance in case Carr gets injured, but the Raiders could view Cook as a player they develop for a year or two before flipping to a quarterback-needy team for a second round pick.
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The Raiders don’t need Cook to be the starter and they passed on players in the fourth who could have competed for a starting spot to help the push for a playoff spot this year so it’s a gamble, but McKenzie is hoping this roll of the dice hits big.