Terrelle Pryor: 5 Bold Predictions for His Rookie Season with Raiders

Raise your hand if you're at all surprised that the Oakland Raiders selected former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor in the NFL's supplemental draft.

...I don't see a whole lot of hands out there. In that case, it would appear that I'm not the only one who totally expected Pryor to end up with the Raiders.

While not quite a match made in Heaven, Pryor is definitely the kind of guy who is, and probably always was, cut out to wear the Silver and Black. He's just the kind of ultra-fast, ultra-athletic type that longtime Raiders dictator Al Davis covets, and that he comes to the Raiders with plenty of baggage also makes sense given what we know about the organization.

It's a good fit, no doubt about that. And despite the fact Pryor won't be able to play until he serves the five-game suspension he would have served had he stayed with the Buckeyes, one assumes the Raiders are happy to have him.

But what happens next?

Now that there's a question without a clear answer. I do, however, have five bold guesses.

5. Pryor Will Remain a Quarterback

Seeing as how Pryor is a quarterback, saying he will remain a quarterback might not seem like much of a bold prediction to some.

But it is.

Courtesy of ESPN's John Clayton, we know that the Raiders are "looking at Pryor more as receiver than a quarterback at the NFL level." In other words, the Raiders are thinking of doing with Pryor what many people think should be done with him.

That said, I don't think they will. Because Pryor's suspension will keep him from practicing with the Raiders until Week 6, a position change just isn't very practical this season. Instead, they're better off keeping him at quarterback, using him to fill out the depth chart and reassessing his outlook in the NFL when the offseason comes around.

In other words, this will be a season for on-the-job training, not on-the-job tinkering.

4. Pryor Will Move to No. 2 on the Depth Chart

Ah yes, now we're getting into the good stuff.

While Pryor really won't be a Raider until Week 6, I have no trouble whatsoever imagining his transition being an easy one. This is not so much because I have faith in him, mind you. It's because I have so little faith in Oakland's quarterbacks.

Starting quarterback Jason Campbell is just fine and dandy, but he is backed up by a pair of never-has-beens in Kyle Boller and Trent Edwards. They're probably not the worst backups in the league (ahem, Indianapolis), but there could come a time this season in which the Raiders and their fans rue the loss of Bruce Gradkowski.

Because we know Pryor has worlds of talent, what's to stop him from working his way up the depth chart?

Actually, here's a better question: Because we know Mr. Davis loves guys like Pryor, what's to stop him from forcing Hue Jackson's hand?

Nothing, that's what.

3. Pryor's First Taste of the NFL Will Come in Week 9 vs. Broncos

Now comes the question of if and when Pryor will get his first taste of the NFL.

That's obviously a pretty tough thing to predict, but I'm going to go with Oakland's home game against the Denver Broncos in Week 9. There are a couple of reasons why I think this is a logical outcome.

For starters, Pryor will have been practicing with the team for several weeks at that point. That's not going to be enough time for him to learn the offense, but it should be enough time for him to get the gist of some special packages that I envision Jackson drawing up for him, a la the Broncos and Tim Tebow in 2010.

Secondly, the Raiders are going to be taking on the Broncos after their bye week. Conceivably, that means Jackson and the Raiders coaching staff could take some extra time to devote a little extra attention to Pryor.

Remember, he could be their No. 2 quarterback by then after all.

2. Pryor's First Touchdown Will Be a Rushing Touchdown

Want to pinpoint the very moment the Raiders decided they wanted Pryor?

If I had to guess, it was probably when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.36 second at his makeshift pro day on Saturday. That kind of 40 time stands out for a quarterback, and we all know that 40 times stand out in the eyes of Mr. Davis.

For him, Pryor's speed makes him a gift. For Jackson, it makes him an asset that can easily be used.

So remember those "special packages" I theorized Jackson drawing up for Pryor? Yeah, those will be primarily designed to take advantage of Pryor's legs. And because Jackson showed an ability to get creative around the goal line when he was the team's offensive coordinator last year, don't be surprised if he does so by inserting Pryor and then letting him run.

The result: six points.

Mark it six, dude.

1. Pryor Will Get a Start This Season

Here we go. The mother of all bold Terrelle Pryor predictions: He will get a start in 2011.

Yes, 2011—as in this season.

Blasphemy, right?

Probably. But then again, maybe not.

As I see it, for Pryor to start, it's going to have to be late in the season, and the Raiders are going to have to be out of it. Given the team's outlook and that of the AFC West, I think the Raiders being out of it late in the season is a legit possibility. At that point, they may as well throw Pryor out there.

If you want me to narrow it down, how about Week 17 against the San Diego Chargers? Because I have the Chargers winning the division, it could very well be a meaningless game for both teams. And because it will be in front of the home crowd, there's not going to be any harm in letting Pryor spell Jason Campbell for a day.

That is, until Pryor a) is horrible and/or b) gets hurt. Then there's harm in it.