With Davante Adams officially getting traded to the New York Jets, many believe the Las Vegas Raiders should turn their eyes toward the offseason. There is still plenty of time for the team to turn things around but it’s hard to imagine them making much noise with their current quarterback situation.
The more games the team loses, the better chance they have at landing a quarterback in the 2o25 NFL Draft. Right now, Jordan Reid of ESPN is projecting the Raiders to finish with the No. 7 pick. However, he believes they will trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars up to No. 4.
“In April, the Raiders watched six quarterbacks come off the board before they were on the clock at No. 13,” Reid wrote in an October 16 mock draft. “They might not want to risk waiting it out again in 2025, and I could see them sending a second- and fifth-rounder to Jacksonville to move up three spots from No. 7 overall here. (Las Vegas just landed a conditional third-rounder from the Davante Adams trade that could be used to move up for a QB, too.)”
With that trade, the Raiders would use the No. 4 pick to select their quarterback of the future.
Cam Ward the Right QB for Raiders?
Reid believes the quarterback the Raiders would take right now is Miami’s Cam Ward. The only other quarterback taken before Ward in this mock draft is Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, who went No. 1 to the Cleveland Browns.
Reid broke down why Ward is a good fit for Las Vegas.
“It’s not a secret that the Raiders are in desperate need of a quarterback,” Reid wrote. “After seesawing between Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell, they would get stability with Ward. He is the quarterback whom I’ve been the most impressed with through six weeks, rising from the fourth- or fifth-round range to top-five consideration while throwing 20 TD passes for the undefeated Hurricanes. He’s an electrifying playmaker who can make throws from different platforms and drive the ball to the target. He has to limit his questionable decisions during games, but his calm demeanor no matter the moment is outstanding. With this, Ward would become the first Miami player to go in the top five since Sean Taylor (fifth in 2004).”
Ward is a very exciting player. He’s thrown 20 touchdowns to five interceptions this season and is very good at making plays with his legs. He’d certainly be an interesting player for the Raiders to build around.
Other QBs Raiders Could Consider
While Reid believes Sanders would go No. 1 to the Browns, it’s hard to imagine he’d be thrilled with that idea. His father Deion Sanders has suggested that they will refuse to play for certain teams and you’d have to believe the Browns aren’t one of the teams on his wish list.
Georgia’s Carson Beck was long thought to be the No. 1 prospect in the class but opinions on him have lowered. He could regain some stock if he finishes the season playing at a high level.
Alabama’s Jalen Milroe has been a fast riser and could be a player to watch, especially if the Raiders don’t have a top-five pick. Texas’ Quinn Ewers should also be in the mix to go in the first round.
Austin Boyd has covered the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Lakers for Heavy.com since 2019. A Los Angeles native now based in Las Vegas, his featured work at Heavy includes interviews with NFL stars Darren Waller and Joe Montana, and a behind-the-scenes look at "The Shop." More about Austin Boyd
