Heading into the 2024 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders really wanted to turn the page and select their next young quarterback to build around into the future.
Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, as six quarterbacks went off the board in the first dozen picks, and the Raiders ended up with Brock Bowers, who is among the better rookie pass catches the NFL has seen in some times but can’t exactly throw himself the ball. Fortunately, with the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Raiders will likely get to fix that mistake heading into the fall, right?
Maybe, but in the opinion of ESPN’s Aaron Schatz, why risk it? The Raiders have assets, have a clear scheme fit in Shedeur Sanders, and should simply trade up to guarantee they get their guy this time around.
“ESPN’s Field Yates has Sanders falling to the Raiders with the No. 6 pick, but waiting for him to fall to them would not be the bold move. The move would be to trade up into the top three picks, preferably the top two, to ensure that Sanders comes to Las Vegas,” Schatz noted. “Obviously, the problem is that it would cost additional draft capital, especially since the Raiders have other glaring needs, and the top three teams (Titans, Browns, and Giants) also need a young quarterback and would need to be enticed to trade down. Nonetheless, if the Raiders want to guarantee they’ll get Sanders, they’ll need to make a trade.”
Why would the Raiders make such a massive swing? Well, Schatz touched on that, too, noting that he sees Sanders as an ideal fit for what Las Vegas is looking to do moving forward.
“Everybody agrees that Sanders and the Raiders are a strong match. He was second in the FBS with 37 touchdown passes and fourth with 4,134 passing yards last season,” Schatz noted. “The Raiders don’t have one of the league’s top offensive lines, but their line did rank a reasonable 17th in pass block win rate (59.4%), so Sanders should have time to stay in the pocket and further develop his passing skills.”
You know, while trading away additional assets to move up from six to two, where they would likely need to land if Cam Ward goes number one overall, could be incredibly costly and may even hurt the team’s ability to build a strong offense around the Colorado product, is waiting at six really worth the risk? Would the Raiders be better off with a player like Tetairoa McMillan from Arizona at six and then a second-round pick like Will Howard at pick 38? Considering the evaluation Mel Kiper Jr. just undertook to prove the unlikeliness of drafting a franchise QB outside of the first round, that might be even riskier.
No, if the Raiders are serious about drafting a bright young performer, they will probably have to trade up to guarantee they get their guy, as a franchise QB now is worth whatever assets are required to move up a few spots to get them.
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