Spencer Rattler to Broncos, Raiders Snub QB in Mel Kiper, Field Yates NFL Mock Draft

Two of the teams in the AFC West are locked and loaded for the forseeable future at the quarterback position, with Patrick Mahomes headlining the Kansas City Chiefs and Justin Herbert the face of the Los Angeles Chargers.

But the other two teams in the division, the Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders, have major questions at the position heading into the NFL draft later this month.

In the latest three-round mock draft from ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates, with the pair alternating picks, the Broncos were projected to take South Carolina's Spencer Rattler with the No. 76 overall pick, ignoring the position in the first round in favor of Georgia tight end Brock Bowers.

As Yates wrote: "To take a quarterback or not? That's a dilemma I'm sure Denver is weighing heavily. Ultimately, it felt a little too soon for me, and Bowers is a special prospect. He would instantly upgrade the entire passing game, no matter who is throwing the ball."

In this scenario, Rattler would be battling with Jarrett Stidham for the starting gig.

The Raiders, meanwhile, weren't projected to go quarterback with any of their selections in the first three rounds, instead taking cornerback Quinyon Mitchell at No. 13, interior offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson at No. 44 and running back Jaylen Wright at No. 77.

That would mean the Raiders rolling with either Gardner Minshew II or Aidan O'Connell as the starter in 2024.

The pair projected four quarterbacks off the board in the first five picks—Caleb Williams to the Chicago Bears at No. 1, Jayden Daniels to the Washington Commanders at No. 2, Drake Maye to the New England Patriots at No. 3 and J.J. McCarthy to the Minnesota Vikings, in a trade with the Chargers, at No. 5.

The next quarterbacks off the board in the mock were Michael Penix Jr. to the Los Angeles Rams at No. 33 in a trade with the Carolina Panthers and Bo Nix to the New York Giants at No. 38 in a trade with the Tennessee Titans.