The Las Vegas Raiders stirred up quite a buzz when they picked University of Georgia tight end Brock Bowers with the 13th overall selection in the NFL Draft. Critics questioned the choice, arguing that the Raiders needed a quarterback or offensive lineman more urgently. Others pointed out that the franchise had just taken tight end Michael Mayer in the second round last year.
But the story took an unexpected twist when Terrion Arnold, newly minted Detroit Lions cornerback, claimed that Las Vegas was about to select him instead.
Terrion Arnold’s Surprising Revelation
On The Next Round podcast, Arnold recounted a fascinating detail from draft night:
“(The Lions) knew that the Raiders, there was a possibility that they took me,” Arnold said. “And, actually, the Raiders coach, they called me after the draft, they were like, ‘We actually had a coin toss between you and Brock Bowers. It landed on him.’” Could a coin toss really have decided a first-round pick?
Champ Kelly Fires Back
When confronted with Arnold’s story, Las Vegas Raiders assistant general manager Champ Kelly shot down the notion that Bowers’ selection was a matter of chance:
“I can’t confirm that at all,” Kelly said, in a conversation with Kevin Patra of NFL.com. “Terrion is a good player. I’m excited to watch his career and watch him play. But we drafted Brock, and we’re excited to get him here. And I don’t think anyone else in our whole draft room felt any other way.”
Newly Drafted #Lions CB Terrion Arnold says the #Raiders called him after the draft to let him know they had a coin flip between him and Brock Bowers at No. 13.
A 50/50 chance for the Detroit Lions secondaries future…WOW😳😳😳#OnePride #RaiderNation
pic.twitter.com/9l2lyXLORi— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔦𝔱 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 📰 (@BrandNewDET) May 9, 2024
Speculation Surrounds Las Vegas Raiders’ Draft Decision
While the suggestion of using heads or tails to choose an NFL Draft pick seems ludicrous, Kelly’s denial doesn’t dispel speculation. Some critics believe Kelly’s response is an attempt to contain a potential PR fallout, given the organizational reputation implications.
From a practical standpoint, selecting Arnold at No. 13 would have been questionable since he ultimately went 24th overall and wasn’t the first cornerback taken. Some speculate that Las Vegas might have considered trading down to draft Arnold and pick up extra assets, but opted to stick with Bowers.
Las Vegas Raiders Bet on Brock Bowers
Regardless of the process behind the selection, the Raiders ultimately chose Brock Bowers, while the Lions secured Terrion Arnold later in the first round. Only time will tell if Las Vegas’ decision will pay off in Sin City. Stay tuned to see how Brock Bowers impacts the Las Vegas Raiders’ offense next season!
