REPORT: Raiders Could Take Simple Approach to the NFL Draft

The Las Vegas Raiders undoubtedly need a quarterback, but could they use the sixth overall pick on another position?

Dec 31, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The last two seasons have proven the Las Vegas Raiders desperately need a talented quarterback as soon as possible. The Raiders spent most of the season in the midst of a 10-game losing streak many figured would be enough to solidify one of the top picks in the upcoming NFL Draft.

However, the Raiders snapped that losing streak with a late-season two-game winning streak that took them out of contention for the draft's top picks. This all but guaranteed the Raiders would have to trade additional draft assets to draft a quarterback that may or may not pan out.

Instead, the Raiders general manager Tom Telesco could stay consistent with last year's draft approach and select the best player available. Depending on how the first few picks of the draft, that could mean the Raiders select a player that is not a quarterback.

Reese Decker of Pro Football Network released his predictions for each team in the upcoming NFL Draft. After months of speculation on where Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders prefers to land, Decker believes the Raiders are too far back in the draft to select Sanders and will decide against trading additional assets for the prized quarterback.

"The Raiders opted to move on from running back Josh Jacobs just a year after he earned the rushing crown for the Silver and Black, with hopes that Zamir White could replicate similar production. Jacobs, part of the running back renaissance, continued to excel in Green Bay while White regressed, and the Raiders churned out the league’s worst rushing offense. It’s safe to assume the Raiders now hold a brand new appreciation for the value of that position, especially on a unit that lacks a franchise quarterback.

"The 2024 Heisman Trophy runner-up is a bona fide blue-chip prospect and generational talent. He is a dynamic playmaker who possesses elite contact balance, remarkable power and durability, dangerous top-end speed, and the ability to flip the field on a single cut. He has the ability to be an instant game-changer and a foundational piece for a rebuilding organization."

The Raiders have struggled with first round draft picks over the last decade but have the chance to string together two successful drafts in a row.

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