Who is Aidan O'Connell? Raiders rookie QB outperforms 49ers counterpart Trey Lance in Las Vegas preseason win

Zac Al-Khateeb

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Who is Aidan O'Connell? Raiders rookie QB outperforms 49ers counterpart Trey Lance in Las Vegas preseason win image

Aidan O'Connell might not have been the biggest storyline heading into the Raiders' preseason game vs. the 49ers on Sunday, but he certainly became one following Las Vegas' 34-7 win.

The fourth-round rookie quarterback was impressively efficient in his Raiders debut, completing 15 of 18 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown and a 117.8 QB rating. He played eight drives, including two that ended in a touchdown and another that ended in a field goal. His best pass arguably was one that went 35-plus yards in the air but was dropped by his intended receiver.

Luckily, he made up for it with an easy touchdown to Keelan Cole Sr:

MORE: Why Aidan O'Connell was 2023 NFL Draft sleeper

O'Connell's outing was even more impressive considering he outperformed San Francisco counterpart Trey Lance. The former No. 3 pick's early struggles overshadowed a 10-of-15 passing day for 112 yards and (extraordinarily lucky) touchdown.

For many Raiders and NFL fans, Sunday's performance may have been the first they've ever seen of O'Connell. Here's everything you need to know about O'Connell following his breakout debut:

Who is Aidan O'Connell?

Aidan O'Connell stats vs. 49ers

O'Connell completed 15 of 18 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown, adding two rushes for 7 yards. He also took a sack for a loss of 6 yards in the debut.

In all, O'Connell led eight drives before Chase Garbers took over the remainder of the game to complete 3 of 5 passes for 11 yards and his own touchdown. Here are how O'Connell's drives ended, in chronological order:

  • Touchdown (Zamir White 1-yard rush)
  • Punt
  • Turnover on downs
  • Punt
  • Touchdown (O'Connell 9-yard pass to Cole)
  • Field goal (Daniel Carlson 53 yards)
  • Punt
  • Touchdown (Sincere McCormick 2-yard rush)

MORE: Aidan O'Connell NFL Draft scouting report

Where did Aidan O'Connell go to college?

Aidan O'Connell played at Purdue from 2017 through 2022.

Aidan O'Connell Purdue timeline

He did not play either of his first two seasons in 2017 or 2018 before finally playing his first game as a redshirt sophomore in 2019. He played six games total, going 1-2 as a starter.

He played in three total games as a redshirt junior in 2020 — a year in which Purdue's season was reduced to just six games amid the COVID-19 pandemic. That year afforded O'Connell an extra year of eligibility through 2022. He took advantage of the opportunity to go 14-9 as a starter over the next two years, helping lead the Boilermakers to a 17-10 record.

Aidan O'Connell Purdue stats

Below are Aidan O'Connell's stats at Purdue, including his final two years as a starter:

Passing

Year CMP/ATT Pct. Yards TDs-INTS
2019 103/164 62.8 1,101 8-4
2020 88/136 64.7 916 7-2
2021 315/440 71.6 3,712 28-11
2022 320/499 64.1 3,490 22-13

Zac Al-Khateeb

Zac Al-Khateeb Photo

Zac Al-Khateeb has been part of The Sporting News team since 2015 after earning his Bachelor's (2013) and Master's (2014) degrees in journalism at the University of Alabama. Prior to joining TSN, he covered high school sports and general news in Alabama. A college sports specialist, Zac has been a voter for the Biletnikoff Award and Heisman Trophy since 2020.