There has been an influx of rookie quarterbacks starting NFL games this season, and that trend will continue with the Las Vegas Raiders reportedly set to go with Aidan O'Connell over Jimmy Garoppolo moving forward.
If that's the case, O'Connell would mark the seventh rookie expected to start in Week 9, which is tied for the second-most in a single week since 1970 and the most this early in any season, according to the CBS Sports research department.
It's a rookie quarterback party in the league this year, with so many young players making appearances on the field. Being new to the league, rookies are already lesser known than their veteran counterparts, especially those taken late in the draft.
The Raiders selected O'Connell in the fourth round with the No. 135 overall pick. He has played in two regular season games so far, and if he does start this week, it will mark his second in the big leagues.
Since he is new to the job and fans may not know much about his resume, let's take a look at how he got to the NFL and what he has done since he arrived.
High school career
The Illinois Native went to Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois. He had one season as a starter, throwing for a school record of 2,741 yards and 26 touchdowns.
College career
O'Connell only received one scholarship, coming from Davenport University, a Division II program in Michigan. He initially committed to Division III Wheaton College in Illinois but then decided to accept a preferred walk-on spot at Purdue. After not playing the first two seasons, he saw action in six games in 2019, starting three. He made just three appearances in 2020 before becoming the full-time starter in 2021. Over his final two seasons in West Lafayette, Indiana, he put himself on the NFL radar with a 67.8 completion percentage for 7,202 passing yards and 50 touchdowns compared to 24 interceptions.
NFL career
O'Connell was taken in the fourth round. He made his NFL debut Oct. 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers when he stood in for Garoppolo, who was sidelined with an injury. In his first-ever game, he went 24 of 39 with 238 yards and one interception. He did not have any passing touchdowns, but did have a rushing touchdowns on a quarterback sneak at the goal line. The Raiders went on to lose 24-17.
The 25-year-old made saw the field again in a game against the Chicago Bears on Oct. 22. He replaced veteran Brian Hoyer during the game, finishing 10-for-13 passing with 75 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The Raiders lost 30-12.
He has 52 passing attempts in the league, with 34 completions for a completion percentage of 65.4% so far in his career. The former fourth-rounder has 313 yards with one touchdown, two interceptions, three rushing yards on three attempts, one rushing touchdown and has been sacked seven times for a loss of 50 yards. O'Connell has three fumbles, with two fumbles lost.
