The Las Vegas Raiders shocked the NFL this offseason when new general manager John Spytek traded for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith. The team needed a massive upgrade under center, but many expected them to address this in the NFL Draft, not on the open market.
However, given that Smith is already 34 years old and struck a team-friendly extension, the franchise could still seek a long-term option. While selecting a young quarterback in the first round may be careless, Las Vegas has visited with several mid-round signal-callers and is expected to target the position on Day 2 of the Draft.
Players like Jaxson Dart, Will Howard, Quinn Ewers and Jalen Milroe are reported to be at the top of the team's list, but the draft is unpredictable. In ESPN's recent mock draft, however, the team seals its own fate by trading the No. 68 pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers, which they use to select Milroe.
Already in this mock draft, the Raiders had missed out on Dart and several other quarterback prospects. Yet, they had the opportunity to land Milroe and traded it away for the No. 83 pick and a 2026 third-rounder. With the No. 83 pick, they select defensive lineman Shemar Turner, and Howard gets chosen shortly after as well.
While Las Vegas did draft Ashton Jeanty and Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons in the first two rounds, it would be a blow for the team to leave Day 2 without a quarterback. This is a mere projection by ESPN, but it depicts how cruel and cutthroat the NFL Draft can be.
