Worst Case Scenario for Raiders on Draft Day

The Las Vegas Raiders have a high draft pick and with that many opportunities as to whom it can be. Their worst-case scenario will be them reaching for a quarterback in the first round.

Mar 1, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart (QB03) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders have a high draft pick in the upcoming NFL draft after a season where they only won four games. One would think that would net them something higher, but they are just out of the top five.

At sixth, some of the top prospects in this draft will have already been gone. The Raiders traded for their starting quarterback next year and reunited new head coach Pete Carroll with Geno Smith from their days with the Seattle Seahawks.

While this is an immense talent upgrade from who their starters were last year, it doesn't necessarily prohibit them from looking for a quarterback in the draft. Smith is talented, but he isn't getting any younger and doesn't give the team a timeline for their future.

It's widely agreed that the two top quarterback prospects in this year's draft are Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders. Unluckily for the Raiders, there's a high chance neither of them will make it out of the top five.

The Tennessee Titans almost certainly will be taking Ward first overall, and Sanders will go to either the Cleveland Browns or New York Giants. Even if the predicted order of those selections is scrambled, it's a long shot either of them will be available when they make their selection at sixth.

Last year, the Raiders were put in a similar situation, but they made the smart move of cutting their losses and drafting the most talented player available, and now Brock Bowers is already one of the best tight ends in the NFL heading into his sophomore year.

The Raider's worst-case scenario for what they do in the draft is to become antsy for their future quarterback and reach on a prospect that doesn't merit being selected so high. Prospects like Jaxson Dart or Jalen Milroe have gotten buzz recently for potentially being first-round picks.

I'm not saying that either of those prospects won't be successful in their NFL career, I am saying that if the Raiders draft a quarterback that isn't the top two prospects with the sixth overall pick, it will be a mistake.

They could target other quarterback prospects in later rounds, but if Sanders doesn't fall, then quarterback should be out of the question for them in the first round. That pick could go towards drafting an offensive playmaker for Smith or a defensive stud that solidifies their defense as one of the best in the NFL.

They can afford to go one more year without their franchise quarterback on the roster and instead build up that roster so that when they finally do get him; he is placed in a situation where he could be the most successful.

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