With the uncertainty at quarterback going into the 2024 season, it's very possible that things don't go smoothly for the Las Vegas Raiders, which would lead to the team being in the market for a signal-caller in 2025.
And that's the exact scenario ESPN's Matt Miller has unfolding in his new 2025 mock draft. In it, the Raiders land the No. 8 overall pick but trade up to No. 2 in a deal with the Carolina Panthers that ultimately leads to them selecting Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Antonio Pierce: Quarterback competition has 'risen the level of competition' for overall team
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce: Quarterback competition has 'risen the level of competition' for the overall team.
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The trade has the Raiders giving up a 2026 first-rounder and a 2027 second-rounder on top of their No. 8 overall pick. Here's Miller's analysis:
The Raiders went 8-9 last season, and the late-season 5-4 surge under coach Antonio Pierce didn't have much to do with the quarterback play. The team had 20 passing touchdowns to 18 interceptions, as rookie Aidan O'Connell replaced Jimmy Garoppolo for 11 games. O'Connell may prove his status in Year 2, but the early read on Las Vegas is that it needs a quarterback. Sanders is a legitimate Heisman contender if Colorado can string together some wins. His accuracy, toughness and poise would make him a rookie starter for the Raiders and give the offense some much-needed swagger. He threw 27 touchdown passes to three interceptions for the Buffaloes last year.
Barring a major step back, Sanders will be one of the top quarterbacks available in next year's draft, along with Georgia's Carson Beck, who went No. 1 overall to the New York Giants after they traded up with the New England Patriots in this mock.
Sanders has all the tools you want in an NFL quarterback in this day and age, as he's a talented thrower with mobility and is armed with a ton of confidence. He has the potential to be the true difference-maker the Raiders need.
The problem with this scenario is that the Raiders should be better than the record needed to secure the No. 8 overall pick, which could once again put them out of range for one of the top quarterbacks in next year's draft.
