The Las Vegas Raiders had an unlikely star in their first preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers. Rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell had a near-perfect day on the field and has been getting rave reviews from many analysts.
Las Vegas Raiders Aidan O’Connell Plays Well In Debut
O’Connell was a fourth-round pick out of Purdue and the Raiders may have gotten a steal. He went 15/18 for 141 yards and a touchdown. Who the backup will be in Las Vegas is very important as Jimmy Garoppolo has been very injury prone during his time in the league. This makes O’Connell’s play that much more important. Former head coach Steve Mariucci is sold on the former Boilermaker.
“Wow. All I can say is, ‘Wow, where did this guy come from?’ Now I know he came from Purdue, and he started for a couple of years and played very well over there—and he was a darn walk-on. What a story this is, but I came away from watching this game saying, ‘This kid belongs in the NFL; this is my first impression of his first pro game.’ I’m thinking this guy can start in this league eventually.
He’s got enough arm, enough zip, and enough accuracy, and he seems to have some confidence and swagger about him. This kid is going to be a starter in the National Football League.”
Just One Game But…
It’s just one game and it is a preseason game at that. However, this is exactly what coaches want to see out of their rookie quarterbacks. O’Connell didn’t look too big for the moment and was able to play efficiently and put points on the board. If he needs to see the field at any point this season, fans should feel more comfortable. I wouldn’t go as far as Mariucci did but he did look very good in the game.
The Las Vegas Raiders have to be happy with what they saw out of Aidan O’Connell today. Hopefully, his development will continue especially if they need him this season.