Combine week has begun. A weeklong process by which NFL scouts, coaches, and front office people get to fully examine the upcoming draft prospects. That means medicals, measurements, interviews, events, drills, and workouts.
For the Raiders, no position will be more examined than quarterback.
GM Tom Telesco took to the podium Tuesday where he a great many questions about the combine and what he is looking for in a quarterback.
On what’s most important to evaluate at combine:
“The medical process is huge. We really need that. I’m not a part of that at all, but that’s the most important part of the combine. And then all the measurable data that we receive, that’s very important for me to have. Do I necessarily have to watch it all the time? Not necessarily. I don’t need to see someone get weighed in and see how tall they are, I don’t need to see them do a broad jump, but that data to us is very important.”
“The interviews are nice, but again in a 15-or-20-minute interview, there’s not a whole a new ground that is broken. Our scouts have already done so much background work on the players. So we already have that information. You get a little feel for their personality. But in the end you need to spend more than 15 or 20 minutes with the kids.”
On what characteristics he’s looking for in a QB:
“The two for me are probably leadership and toughness. I think you have to start with that. He’s got to be somebody that when you’re in the huddle and those ten other players are looking you in the eyes that you can lead that group. And you’ve got to have that. So, those are the two most important things for me. And then that kind of goes into preparation skills have got to be like none other. Probably like no other sport in professional sports.”
“When you get to the physical abilities, then you start having sliding scales for different things. Because there’s no perfect players. You have to realize that.”
On what would cause concerns in a QB:
“Preparation skills in this league are so important. Everybody’s so talented in the NFL you got to find your edges. And at that position, the work you do Monday thru Saturday is just as important as Sunday. So, if you had the prospect at that position that really didn’t like the process, maybe didn’t love the game of football, didn’t like preparing, just wanted to go out and just kind of wing it, that would be a big concern for me.”
On if he’d consider trading up in the draft:
“Right now in late February, I wouldn’t really take anything off the table as far as going up, back, so…”
On whether the age of the quarterback matters to him:
“I don’t think it’s a bad thing if you come out a little bit older. It may be even a better thing. You’ve got more experience under your belt, more maturity at that position. Other positions it may or may not matter. It’s just something you have to deal with. After getting through this COVID group of kids, it will probably come back to normal a little bit as far as the age of kids coming out.
“Typically as a scouting staff we say we like a younger player because the guy has a chance to develop. Maybe he has a little bit [higher] ceiling. Is that true or not, I’m not really sure. But I do know that we’re going to have some players coming in the league that are going to have good experience. Maybe ready to play a bit earlier than they had at times in years past.”