Pete Carroll decided to roll with a potential backup for Geno Smith in the 2025 NFL Draft. But the former USC head coach is projected to land Smith's successor next season.
The first-year Las Vegas Raiders head coach is predicted to nab a QB for the 2026 first round of the draft, per Josh Edwards of CBS Sports. This despite taking North Dakota State star Cam Miller in the sixth round. Miller, though, is expected to only fill a roster need in the QB room.
Edwards believes LaNorris Sellers of South Carolina is the long-term answer moving forward, with him landing at No. 6 to Vegas. Here's why he believes the Gamecocks star is next year's pick for Carroll.
"Geno Smith could start and play most, if not all, of the 2026 season before giving way to Sellers. Smith will turn 35 during the upcoming season and quarterbacks do not often perform at a high level this late into their careers," Edwards wrote.
The counterargument some fans will present is that Smith always played his best football through Carroll. Including earning his only Pro Bowl appearances with Carroll by his side on the Seattle Seahawks. But Edwards dropped one more nugget on why Sellers fits inside the Raiders' locker room.
"Sellers showed a lot of growth for the Gamecocks this past season and may still have another level to take his game," Edwards said.
The sophomore threw for 2,534 yards, 18 touchdowns and tossed just seven interceptions. But he ripped apart No. 23 Missouri with 353 passing yards and five touchdowns in the 34-30 win on Nov. 16.
Norris is also a dual-threat -- proven by his 674 rushing yards with seven touchdowns there. He scored twice through the ground game in the 17-14 upset over No. 12 Clemson on Nov. 30. The same Clemson team that went on to the College Football Playoffs. That extra element makes him a prime fit for Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly -- who's turned to mobile QBs before.
