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NFL Draft Rumors: Dart, QBs, Hunter

February 15th, 2025 at 5:56pm CST by Ely Allen

As far back as November, we have been consistently reporting that only two quarterbacks are being viewed as first-round prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft: Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. At the same time, we’ve been allowing for the potential that the usual, annual desperation from NFL teams at the quarterback position could lead to Day 2 or 3 passers being pushed into the first round with Ward and Sanders.

We saw this happen last year. Early on in the pre-draft process in 2024, Caleb Williams and Drake Maye were viewed as the only first-round options, though Heisman-winner Jayden Daniels quickly forced his way into that conversation. Even after the conclusion of the College Football Playoff championship game, the two quarterbacks in that game, J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix, were not generally being viewed as first-round prospects. Eventually, we ended up with six quarterbacks being selected in the first round — all in the first 12 picks — with Bo Nix joining the party, as well.

It’s not an uncommon occurrence, and this year, Jason La Canfora of The Washington Post has pegged Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart as the man to break into the first round with Ward and Sanders. “Book at least three quarterbacks to be taken in the first round of the draft,” La Canfora writes, citing that “too much demand” will overcome “not enough supply.” After watching the 21-year-old’s performance in the Senior Bowl, La Canfora quoted one general manager guaranteeing that Dart will hear his name on the first night of the draft. Another executive La Canfora talked to claimed that, while he himself wouldn’t select Dart that high, he believes Dart’s going Day 1.

Aside from his Senior Bowl performance, Dart had an impressive senior season for the Rebels, racking up the third-highest passing yards per game behind Ward (second) but ahead of Sanders (fourth). While Dart’s 29 passing touchdowns didn’t approach Ward (39) or Sanders (34), his six interceptions were fewer than both of his competitors.

Here are a couple other rumors surrounding common early conversations we’ve seen in the runup to the draft:

  • Yesterday, ESPN’s NFL Nation released the results of some polling their reporters — Turron Davenport, Jeff Legwold, Daniel Oyefusi, and Katherine Terrell — conducted with NFL executives, coaches, and scouts at the Senior and Shrine Bowls. One interesting vote showed that of nine people asked if the top draft pick will be a quarterback, three said yes, four said no, and two were undecided. A big deciding factor for this will be what the Titans decide to do with their No. 1 overall pick; another factor will be if the team decides to address the quarterback position through the free agent or trade market before the draft.
  • Another question NFL Nation posed was who the top quarterback in the draft is: Ward or Sanders? Of seven people asked, four sided with Ward while the remaining three went with Sanders. Oyefusi notes that the general consensus has Sanders as “a more refined pocket passer,” while “Ward’s arm talent and mobility give him the upper hand as a long-term prospect.” This goes along with most analyses we’ve seen that place Sanders just behind Ward with Dart as a distant third, if that.
  • We’ve addressed plenty of speculation already on where Colorado athlete and Heisman-winner Travis Hunter may find himself playing at the NFL-level. Agreeing with early reports that Hunter is being viewed more as an elite cornerback prospect with the potential to contribute in certain packages as a wide receiver, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that Hunter is being listed as a defensive back at the NFL Scouting Combine. Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal adds that, while Hunter is planning on working out with the defensive backs at the combine, the two-way athlete will run some drills with the wide receivers, as well.

Shedeur Sanders Lines Up Visits With Browns, Giants

February 13th, 2025 at 4:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

The NFL’s annual Scouting Combine is approaching, and the evaluation of the top prospects will be centered on the event when it takes place. After its conclusion, though, attention will turn to pre-draft visits.

Teams are permitted up to 30 visits with prospects in the period after the Combine and before the draft. Given the lack of high-end quarterbacks available in 2025, one of the top storylines will be how teams near the top of the board operate with respect to Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders. The latter already has his first two visits on the books.

Sanders revealed in a video posted by Well Off Media (operated by his brother, Deion Sanders Jr.) that he is set to meet with the Browns and Giants. That comes as no surprise considering the uncertainty both teams face under center. Cleveland is set to select second overall in April’s draft, while New York owns the No. 3 pick.

Deshaun Watson will remain with the Browns for 2025, but his second Achilles tear has created the strong possibility he will miss most (potentially all) of the coming season. Cleveland has Dorian Thompson-Robinson on the books, while Jameis Winston and Bailey Zappe are pending unrestricted and restricted free agents, respectively. The first round of the draft would offer the opportunity of adding a long-term Watson successor, but even if a Myles Garrett trade does not take place Cleveland’s roster has other notable holes.

Once the Giants elected to move on from Daniel Jones, it was clear they would be in the market for a draft addition. Indeed, the team is one to watch closely regarding a possible trade-up maneuver to secure either Sanders or Ward. New York could make a notable veteran addition before the draft, but especially if that does not take place adding either of the class’ top signal-callers in the first round would be expected.

The Titans own the No. 1 pick, and given the opportunity to add a Will Levis replacement they are of course looking heavily into their options. Tennessee has been connected to moving down the board given the relative lack of surefire prospects in the 2025 class, but the same is also true of the rest of the teams slated to select in the top five. How the Browns and Giants view Sanders will of course be central in determining the direction they go in come Day 1 of the draft.

Sanders followed his father from Jackson State to Colorado, putting himself on the round one radar in 2023. This past season, he posted 4,134 yards and a 37:10 touchdown-to-interception ratio along with a 74% completion percentage. Those figures helped him earn Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honors and led to an eighth-place finish in Heisman voting. Concerns have been raised about the impact Deion Sanders will have with whichever team selects Shedeur, but his son – who did not practice or play in the Shrine Bowl – said he does not have a preferred destination at this point.

“Out of the teams [reportedly interested], there’s not really one that I’m looking forward to, there’s not really one I’m looking past,” he said (via NFL.com). “It’s all about the process. The teams picking me, I don’t really have much of a say on that.”

Teams Picking In Top-Five May Look To Trade Back

February 12th, 2025 at 8:41pm CST by Ben Levine

While there’s some belief that the Titans will move the No. 1 pick, they may not be the only team atop the draft board looking to make moves. Albert Breer of SI.com believes every team in the top five will at least entertain the idea of trading back.

[RELATED: Sources Expect Titans To Trade No. 1 Overall Pick]

All of these squads (which includes the Browns (No. 2), Giants (No. 3), Patriots (No. 4), and Jaguars (No. 5)) have plenty of reasons to justify a trade. Each of these teams won’t suddenly vault into contention (or even mediocrity) with just their first-round selection, and picking up additional assets may help them fill out their respective rosters. While these organizations may not be able to get a haul, they could still snag a foundational piece while picking up additional draft picks.

However, Breer also notes that this is partly an indictment on the draft class. Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter are generally considered the draft’s only blue-chip prospects. Teams like the Patriots and Jaguars already have their answers at quarterback, and if those front offices believe they’re out of realistic range for Carter/Hunter, it may make sense to move back and pick up extra pieces.

Further, the draft’s QB depth may convince some teams to pivot. Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders appear to be in their own tier among prospects, but neither of the impending rookies are believed to be generational, can’t-miss players. Instead of reaching for a QB they’re not enamored with, it could make sense for a team like the Giants to target a different position (or maybe a different quarterback) via a trade down the board.

Of course, each of those concerns will work against the teams picking in the top-five. As Breer notes, rival teams may not be as eager to trade up for any of the non-blue-chip prospects. There will surely be suitors, but the offers may not be lucrative enough to convince any of those top-five squads to move on.

It’s pretty common to see at least one top-five squad move off of their original draft position, but we’ve also seen a recent trend of front offices holding on to their best draft assets. Between 2019 and 2022, we only saw one top-five pick change hands (with the 2021 third-overall pick being swapped a few times before landing with the 49ers, who took Trey Lance). A handful of top-five 2023 picks were traded, but even the 2024 draft only saw the first-overall pick stray from its original team (which was a product of a trade involving the 2023 first-overall pick).

Titans Doing Deep Dive On QB Prospects

February 1st, 2025 at 11:02pm CST by Ely Allen

The Titans hold the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft. They also will enter the 2025 league year with only one quarterback under contract. Unfortunately, that quarterback, Will Levis, has accumulated a 5-16 record as a starter in his first two years of NFL play. These facts put together make it clear why Tennessee is doing their homework on the draft’s top quarterback prospects: Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders.

The common refrain in the runup to the draft so far has been that neither Ward nor Sanders would rank ahead of the six quarterbacks who were taken in the first round last year. Fortunately for Ward and Sanders, they’re not competing with those passers; they’re only competing with each other and prospects from other positions.

Tennessee could certainly address other positions with their top overall pick. Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter and Colorado two-way athlete Travis Hunter have been viewed as options that the Titans could roll with, but with the importance new general manager Mike Borgonzi puts on the quarterback position, a deep dive on the passers available is necessary.

Yesterday, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reported out of Mobile, AL, the site of the Senior Bowl, that Ward was seen as the favorite in Tennessee over Sanders. They did note an interesting fact that, though both quarterbacks were onsite for the East-West Shrine Bowl in Arlington, TX, the Titans had an extra-long interview with Sanders, sitting with him for about an hour last week.

There’s a chance the Titans are throwing up a smokescreen, making things difficult for teams hoping to trade up into the top draft slot to know what they’re thinking. There’s also a chance that Tennessee has a good idea of what their thoughts are on Ward, and the extended interview could be viewed as due diligence necessary for Sanders to make up ground.

There’s of course a chance that the Titans are just interested in Sanders, though. Per ESPN’s Turron Davenport, Borgonzi is counting on head coach Brian Callahan‘s experience evaluating options for a No. 1 overall pick in this process. While Borgonzi was present in Kansas City for the acquisition of Patrick Mahomes, Mahomes fell to the Chiefs all the way down at No. 10 overall. Callahan, though, was part of the team in Cincinnati that decided to take Joe Burrow No. 1 overall over other options like Justin Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa.

Callahan looks for attributes such as decision-making, timing, and accuracy when looking for a franchise passer. While arm strength is also an important baseline characteristic, Callahan notes that anticipatory throws can make up for a lack of arm strength.

“People had questions about Burrow’s arm strength in general coming out,” Callahan told ESPN. “One of the things that makes Joe so unique, and I think you can probably put Shedeur in the same conversation…they anticipate when they throw it. They have the timing and accuracy on top of it. That makes up for arm strength. Those things are how you make up for maybe not having the biggest arm. If you’re throwing on time and putting a ball when and where you’re supposed to go, you’re not going to have too many problems.”

Ward is going to take the cake for arm strength in comparison to Sanders. Ward excels in touch throws, ball placement, and the ability to throw from different arm angles. His decision making has come into question at times, but he still excelled in limiting turnovers, though the ones he committed were extremely questionable. Scouts haven’t necessarily been identifying many such attributes as elite in Sanders, but his ability to anticipate throws seems to make up for that in Callahan’s eyes.

Borgonzi is reportedly in line with Callahan’s list of core traits, but he adds an emphasis on leadership, character, and intelligence. While Sanders hasn’t had any complaints about his character or intelligence, his leadership has been called into question. It’s easy to see how it may have been difficult for Sanders’ leadership to shine under the shadow of his father in Boulder. Despite only playing one year in Miami, the Hurricane’s rallied around Ward because of his character and leadership, so he should check those boxes off for Borgonzi. For intelligence, Borgonzi may have to depend on the NFL’s controversial Wonderlic test, which has delivered mixed results over the years.

At this point, there’s still a lot of work to do for Ward, Sanders, and the Titans. Both quarterbacks have strong cases for convincing Tennessee to use that top pick on them, but the Titans could easily go another route and allow Ward and Sanders to fall to another team. The rest of the pre-draft process — the NFL Scouting Combine and each player’s pro day — could impact some decisions, but Sanders didn’t practice at last week’s Shrine Bowl after a request that he sit out by the Titans. The mind games may continue well up until the Titans are ultimately on the clock.

Cam Ward Trending Towards Being First QB Selected In Draft

January 28th, 2025 at 7:34pm CST by Ben Levine

As NFL teams gather at the Shrine Bowl for an extensive look at this year’s top prospects, the focus has naturally been at the top of the draft board. As scouts and executives have started to congregate, Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com says the “overwhelming belief” is that Cam Ward has emerged as the top quarterback prospect in the draft. In fact, Pauline spoke to some individuals who believe that if the draft happened today, Ward would go first-overall to the Titans.

Ward was somewhat on the NFL radar heading into the 2024 campaign, but he put himself firmly on the map following a strong showing at Miami. During his lone season with the Hurricanes, Ward connected on 67.2-percent of his passes for 4,313 yards, 39 touchdowns, and seven interceptions while guiding the school to a 10-3 record. For his efforts, he earned the Davey O’Brien Award and ACC Player of the Year honors, and he ultimately finished fourth in Heisman voting.

It’s a pretty rapid rise for the QB, who entered the 2024 season as a potential Day 3 selection in the 2025 draft. As Pauline notes, the player’s turnaround isn’t completely dissimilar to that of Jayden Daniels, who evolved from a fringe prospect into the eventual No. 2 pick.

While Ward will face plenty of competition to be the first-overall selection, he’s likely only competing with one individual to be QB1: Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. Unfortunately, teams won’t get an in-person look at the Colorado quarterback during the Shrine Bowl, as Sanders is an interview-only participant, per ESPN’s Matt Miller. Interestingly, Sanders made that decision after speaking to a handful of NFL teams, as Charles McDonald of Yahoo Sports says the Titans, Browns, and Giants all asked Sanders not to practice this week.

Each of those organizations, of course, is armed with a top-three pick, and Robinson notes that all three squads are kicking the tires on a potential Sanders selection. The QB prospect met with those three teams Friday before practices started on Saturday.

While both Ward and Sanders could be trending towards top-three picks, there continues to be a sentiment that this year’s QB class is lacking. Notably, Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy seems to share that opinion, telling Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com that he’s unsure “if any of these guys would be in the top-six last year.” This isn’t the first time we’ve heard this viewpoint, especially after the likes of Daniels, Caleb Williams, Bo Nix, Drake Maye, and Michael Penix all showed promise as rookies.

Considering the underwhelming opinion of this year’s QB prospects, there was some thought that QB-needy teams could look to other positions atop the draft board (especially Colorado’s Travis Hunter). While some of these front offices could still avoid the top of the 2025 QB class, it sounds like at least Ward and Sanders will hear their names early during the first round.

Raiders May Be Homing In On QB Shedeur Sanders

January 18th, 2025 at 10:15pm CST by Ely Allen

The Raiders did themselves a bit of a disservice by winning a couple of games down the stretch of the regular season and ruining their opportunity to own the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft as a result. Despite the theoretical misstep, Las Vegas may still be in a good position to land their preferred option in April.

As the influence of minority-owner Tom Brady continues to permeate throughout the Raiders organization, there seems to be an indication that Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders could be the object of focus for the team’s scouting department leading into the draft. According to Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports, Brady has “a great amount of respect for Sanders’ focus on preparation, his ability to learn and adapt, his accuracy and determination in the pocket, and his toughness to take hits and still be resilient.”

We continue to see reports from scouts that the top two passers in this year’s draft class, Miami’s Cam Ward and Sanders, wouldn’t have surpassed the top three passers in 2024 (Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye). According to Connor Hughes of SportsNet New York, some have even claimed that J.J. McCarthy would be the QB1 in this class, which is hard to believe when comparing the statistics of the three. Apparently, McCarthy’s winning of a championship with Michigan is valued highly enough to overcome a severe difference in production.

Despite these claims and despite Sanders seemingly being ranked as QB2 behind Ward at the moment, the desperate need for quarterbacks in the NFL still makes it seem like Sanders may not make it to the Raiders at No. 6 overall. Three of the five teams in the first five picks of the draft (Titans, Browns, Giants) have also been connected to passers with quarterback being identified as a position of need. Still, there’s reportedly belief in draft circles that, as the evaluation process continues, Sanders has a chance to slip out of the top five picks.

Should that be the case, it would play perfectly into the hands of Las Vegas. There’s some hope that whoever is hired as general manager, as well as head coach, would be permitted some input on the decision of who is selected in the first round. If Brady and majority-owner Mark Davis have their way, though, the Colorado-product may be headed to the Raiders.

2025 Draft QB Rumors: Ewers, Allar, Titans

January 12th, 2025 at 8:19pm CST by Ely Allen

The collegiate career of Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers appears to be over. While he has not officially released a statement, in a College GameDay interview with ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Ewers gave a blunt reply when asked if he expected to play college football next year, simply saying, “No, I don’t.”

Ewers started drawing attention in his second year as the starter for the Longhorns, completing 69 percent of his passes for 3,479 yards, 22 touchdowns, and six interceptions and rushing for five more scores. This year, the emergence of sophomore quarterback Arch Manning made it difficult for Ewers to stay on the field.

Manning’s presence combined with some in-season struggles resulted in a bit of a down year for Ewers. Despite the Longhorns reaching the College Football Playoff semifinals, Ewers (3,472 yards, 31 touchdowns, 12 interceptions) was never viewed as a strength on a team that many saw as balanced throughout the roster. At this point, it seems impossible to hold off the advancement of Manning. With the writing on the wall, Ewers doesn’t appear likely to remain in Austin or in college at all.

Following the assumption that Ewers will declare for the draft, it’s hard to determine in which round he’ll fall. The consensus seems to indicate that Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders are the only two passers that are worthy of first-round picks. The importance of the position may push a few fringe players up, though. In rankings from ESPN analysts and The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, Ewers is viewed as a fringe top-five quarterback, making it hard to believe that there will be enough need to push him into the first round, though he could hear his name in the middle rounds.

Here are a few more rumors concerning quarterbacks potentially in the 2025 NFL Draft class:

  • Penn State’s Drew Allar has been an intriguing quarterback prospect in scouting circles. After being knocked out of the College Football Playoffs in the semifinals, reports seem to indicate that Allar will return to Happy Valley. Per Brugler, though, there were several in the NFL who believed Allar may enter the draft with a strong playoff run. While the Nittany Lions won two games, Allar only completed 54 percent of his passes for 433 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception in three games. There are certainly fans of Allar in the NFL, but it seems they’ll need to consider him for the 2026 NFL Draft as Allar has announced he’s returning for another year at Penn State, per Dane Brugler of The Athletic.
  • Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated recently gave us a bit of obvious insight in the Titans‘ upcoming decision with the No. 1 overall draft pick. There’s a clear sense that they can’t move forward with only Will Levis as the gameplan at quarterback. This means that Tennessee will be taking a long, hard look at Ward and Sanders. If they don’t like what they see, Colorado athlete Travis Hunter could fill holes on both sides of the ball, or the team may just trade back and make a pick that they believe matches the value of their draft slot.

Deion Sanders Eyeing Raiders’ HC Job; Team Has “Zero Interest”

January 12th, 2025 at 12:59pm CST by Ben Levine

JANUARY 12: The Raiders reportedly have “zero interest” in Sanders, who is only using the club for leverage, a source tells Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed of The Athletic (subscription required).

JANUARY 11: While Deion Sanders has continually committed to sticking with the Colorado Buffaloes, it sounds like the fast-rising head coach and NFL Hall of Fame cornerback has indeed been sniffing around at some NFL gigs. According to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Sanders “has his eye” on the Raiders head coaching job.

[RELATED: Deion Sanders Not Talking NFL Future]

One source described Sanders as having “very strong interest” in the opening. In fact, the coach’s “NFL-connected associates” actually reached out to the Raiders to relay the message. Bonsignore cautions that it’s uncertain if the interest has been reciprocated.

Following his success at Jackson State and his 2024 run at Colorado, Sanders has been mentioned as a potential option for HC-needy teams, although the iconic player has yet to garner any official interviews. It was previously reported that Sanders’ name hadn’t been making itself around NFL circles, and vacancies in Chicago, New Orleans, or New York were described as unnatural fits.

However, a logical landing spot could be Las Vegas. Tom Brady is helping to spearhead the team’s search for a new head coach, and Bonsignore notes that the iconic QB-turned-part owner and the Sanders family “have a long relationship.” Brady has mentored Shedeur Sanders over the past few years, and TB12 eventually signed the prospect to an NIL deal. Armed with the sixth-overall pick, the Raiders might fall just outside of the range for the Colorado QB, although the team could be positioned to move up if they identify Sanders as their guy.

Deion Sanders recently said he’d only consider a move to the NFL if he could coach his son (via Bonsignore), and Las Vegas would represent one of the lone spots for that to happen. Of course, it’s a two-way street, and after dealing with a carousel of head coaches in recent years, the Raiders may not be looking to take as much of a risk with their next move.

As our 2025 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker shows, the following candidates have been connected to the Raiders:

2025 QB Class Generating More Skepticism

December 31st, 2024 at 9:58pm CST by Ely Allen

As the NFL regular season comes to a close and college prospects are making their final amateur appearances, focus for many NFL teams is shifting to the 2025 NFL Draft. While many sources seem to have narrowed the field of potential first-round quarterbacks to two players, there are reportedly some scouts who believe taking any quarterback on Day 1 “would be a mistake,” per Dane Brugler of The Athletic.

According to a post from Brugler, an AFC scout commented on the matter, saying, “Man, I feel bad for the teams trying to find one (quarterback) in this group.”

There are two obvious options for teams currently looking at a first-round quarterback: Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. After Ward and Sanders, there’s a big perceived dropoff in quarterback talent in this year’s draft class with other prospects like Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Texas’ Quinn Ewers, and Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart all being projected as Day 2 or 3 picks. Georgia passer Carson Beck, who recently declared for the draft, forgoing one final year of eligibility (granted because of COVID-19), was at one point viewed as a first-round option, but after a disappointing redshirt season and UCL surgery, his draft stock took a considerable hit.

As for Ward and Sanders, it’s hard to imagine a world in which neither prospect hears their name called on the first night of the draft. The Giants sent general manager Joe Schoen and director of player personnel Tim McDonnell to the Pop-Tarts Bowl to watch Ward play in the first half this past weekend. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Raiders assistant general manager Champ Kelly was in attendance, as well. Schoen, along with scouts from his Giants and the Falcons, was also in attendance to watch Sanders take on the Utes about a month and a half ago.

The Giants (currently set to pick fourth overall) are one of six teams inside the projected top-10 picks of the draft with an interest in adding a quarterback. The Titans (No. 2), Browns (No. 3), Panthers (No. 6), Jets (No. 7), and Raiders (No. 8) have all been viewed as possibilities to go after a first-round passer, as well.

The need to fill such a crucial role as quarterback has a tendency to inflate some prospects’ draft stocks. In the 2024 NFL Draft, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and according to some sources, Drake Maye were all viewed as the likely first-round passers for most of the draft process. As the draft drew nearer and it became more obvious that some teams would need additional help at quarterback, prospects like Michael Penix, J.J. McCarthy, and Bo Nix all found their draft stock being bumped from Day 2 or 3 to Day 1.

Because this phenomenon is likely to take effect once again this year, even if Ward and Sanders were not considered first-round options — which, to be clear, many scouts do view them to be — they would still likely find themselves on stage at Lambeau Field on April 24. In order to simulate this effect, some have claimed that this year’s versions of Ward and Sanders would’ve ranked as QB4 and QB5, in any order, in last year’s quarterback crop, placing them firmly in the top ten draft picks for that class, as well. In fact, the often-desperate need for young quarterback talent may even bring players like Beck, Milroe, or Dart back into first-round consideration with Ward and Sanders.

There’s still plenty of time until we arrive at Day 1 of the draft. Between now and then, we will see College Football Playoff performances, the NFL Scouting Combine, and pro days around the country. Many quarterbacks and other prospects will see their draft stock rise and fall throughout the next few months. At this point, though, Ward and Sanders seem to have cemented themselves as top five picks, regardless of what some scouts believe their value to be.

First-Round QB Not Out Of Range For Raiders?

December 24th, 2024 at 7:44pm CST by Ely Allen

When last we looked at the updated order for the 2025 NFL Draft, the Raiders were in prime position, poised to have the No. 1 overall pick. They were tied for the league’s worst record at 2-12 with tie breakers over the Giants. However, with a win over the similarly lowly Jaguars this past Sunday, Las Vegas plummeted in the most recent draft order and now slots in at No. 6.

Many view the biggest need for Las Vegas to be a quarterback. Three different passers have started games for the Raiders this season, and none of Gardner Minshew (2-7), Aidan O’Connell (1-4), or Desmond Ridder (0-1) have a winning record. Likewise, none seem to have much in the way of promise, as all three seem to have been written off as considerable quarterbacks of the future. Therefore, the plan would likely be to draft one, a prospect that’s become much more difficult with their recent victory.

[RELATED: Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order]

At No. 1 overall, the Raiders had their pick of the litter with the ability to choose whatever quarterback they desire. At No. 6, the choice is taken pretty far out of their hands, especially considering that only two passers, Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, are currently receiving first-round grades. It will definitely take some maneuvering to land one of those two quarterbacks from their current slot, but according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, it’s not impossible.

Firstly, they stand to likely move up a spot. Two of the teams ahead of them, the Jaguars and Titans, play each other in the final two weeks of the season, guaranteeing that one of them will earn a victory. For reasons to be explored shortly, Las Vegas fans should be rooting for Tennessee to pull off the divisional victory.

This year’s draft doesn’t appear to be shaping up much like last year’s. If the current order holds, two of the top three teams likely won’t be looking for quarterbacks, unlike last year, which saw the Bears, Commanders, and Patriots select Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye successively in the first three picks. While the Giants, current holders of the No. 1 overall pick, certainly have a need for a quarterback after releasing veteran Daniel Jones, the holders of pick Nos. 2 and 3 do not.

The No. 2 spot is currently held by the Patriots. Despite their disappointing record, the rookie Maye has shown promise at different points in the season, especially since he had to earn the starting job over veteran passer Jacoby Brissett and didn’t start until Week 6. He’ll have to figure out how to protect the ball a bit better — he’s thrown 10 picks in 10 starts — but New England likely has not given up on his potential, yet.

The No. 3 pick is owned by the Jaguars, who just recently signed a 25-year-old Trevor Lawrence to a five-year extension that made him the highest-paid player in the league at the time. This season saw Lawrence battling quite a few injury issues, but it’s hard to imagine that Jacksonville would be looking for anything other than an upgraded backup passer in this year’s draft.

Between those two and Las Vegas sit the Browns and Titans. If the abovementioned rooting interests pay dividends and Tennessee wins in Jacksonville, that problem should take care of itself. The Browns, though, have been thoroughly evaluating the 2025 quarterback draft class, per Chad Reuter of NFL.com, as they research potential successors to one of the worst quarterback contracts in NFL history.

So, in order to get into a position where they are one of the top two teams in position to draft a quarterback, Las Vegas would need to get ahead of Cleveland and Tennessee, another team with interest in a new, young passer. In order to do so, though, they’ll likely have to trade up into the spot. If the Titans lose to Jacksonville, Las Vegas will likely enter into a bidding war for New England’s No. 2 overall pick in order to leapfrog the Browns and Titans. If the Titans win, though, the Raiders’ route is a little cleaner as they’ll have options to trade up with either New England or Jacksonville, and they’ll only be looking to leapfrog one team, though they will have to fend off teams behind them, like Tennessee, from leapfrogging them.

In short, despite a situationally disappointing win this past weekend, the Raiders still have lanes open that lead to them obtaining Ward or Sanders. It may cost them some draft capital to make it happen, but Las Vegas could still end up in a top-three slot.

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