3 options for Raiders at No. 6 if both quarterbacks are taken

For years now, the Las Vegas Raiders have been in desperate need of a quarterback.

The Derek Carr years were plagued by being too good to get a high draft pick, but rarely good enough to make the playoffs. The years since his departure, however, have been a disastrous revolving door of below-average quarterbacks that the team cannot rely on long-term.

In 2024, it finally looked like the Raiders were going to have a bad enough record to get one of the top picks in the NFL Draft. This would have positioned to take either Miami's Cam Ward or Colorado's Shedeur Sanders as their next quarterback, but the team won two late-season games and ended up with pick No. 6 in 2025.

While that may be out of range for the class' top two quarterbacks, new Raiders general manager John Spytek should be relieved that there are several blue-chip prospects near the top of the board. Just a year ago, Las Vegas missed out on a quarterback in the draft but selected arguably the best rookie in the NFL in Brock Bowers.

The team may be forced to go down a similar path in this year's draft.

1. Mason Graham, DT, Michigan

Not only is Spytek on record as saying that he loves to build through the trenches, but he is a Michigan football alum, so this pick makes too much sense for the Raiders. Graham won a National Championship with the Wolverines in 2023 and followed that up with an All-American season in 2024.

Graham recorded 45 tackles including seven for a loss and 3.5 sacks in 2024, which was an improvement from the prior season despite playing fewer games. Just imagine a defensive line with Graham, Maxx Crosby, Malcolm Koonce and Christian Wilkins all wreaking havoc on the opposing offensive line.

He is a monstrous 6'3", 318 pounds, which has several scouting services comparing him to the likes of Wilkins, a player he could play alongside.

2. Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

Johnson is another Michigan man who is a big corner with tons of ball skills. Throughout his tenure with the Buccaneers and Broncos, the front offices that Spytek worked in also put a premium on players in the secondary, but especially cornerbacks.

In 2024, Johnson had two interceptions, both of which he returned for a touchdown, as well as three passes defended and a tackle for loss. Johnson only had 14 tackles on the year, which was due in part to his only playing six games, but was also a product of opposing quarterbacks never throwing the ball to his side of the field. When you're a lock-down corner, that's how it goes.

At 6'2" 202 pounds, the cornerback has drawn comparisons to players like Christian Gonzalez, James Bradberry, and Jaycee Horn. This position is more of a need than most in Raider Nation think it is, with Nate Hobbs hitting free agency and Jack Jones not likely to survive a regime change.

3. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

Finally, an offensive weapon for Las Vegas. While bolstering the defense may raise the floor of this Raiders team, adding a big wideout with tons of upside is a way to raise its ceiling. While Spytek has never been part of a front office that has drafted a wide receiver in the first round, McMillan's talent may be worth the early pick.

At Arizona, McMillan was a consensus All-American this season. He racked up 2,721 yards and 18 touchdowns in his final two seasons as a Wildcat, and can even throw the ball on an occasional trick play.

Standing at 6'5" and weighing 212 pounds, McMillan is a physical specimen. He has been compared mainly to Drake London, but also to the likes of Tee Higgins and Rome Odunze.

While most of Raider Nation wants a quarterback, it may not be in the cards for Spytek in his first season as general manager. Instead, the Raiders can continue to stack blue-chip prospects until they figure out the quarterback position either in the later rounds, free agency, or down the road a bit.