The NFL draft season kicks off in less than two weeks with the Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis from February 27 to March 2, followed by a wave of pro days and regional workouts, culminating in the highly anticipated NFL Draft from April 24-26, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.
As of now, the Las Vegas Raiders hold the #6 and #37 overall picks — a disappointing draft position for a team that spent much of the 2024 season in contention for the #1 overall pick, only to fall out of the top five after a two-game win streak in Weeks 16 and 17 pushed their record to 4-13.
The Silver and Black head into the draft with pressing needs on both sides of the ball, including wide receiver, running back, cornerback, the defensive line, and most notably, quarterback, according to NFL.com’s Chad Reuter and Pro Football Focus’ Gordon McGuiness.
This week, we’ll explore potential scenarios for the Raiders’ top two picks, reviewing past selections and examining top prospects at key positions — starting, of course, with the quarterback position.
Uner Center With the 2024 Raiders
Raiders quarterbacks combined for 634 pass attempts during the 2024 season, with Gardner Minshew II (306) and Aidan O’Connell (243) taking most of the snaps, while Desmond Ridder contributed 85 attempts over five late-season games.
Minshew began the season as the starter, leading the Raiders to a 2-2 start, including a road win against the Baltimore Ravens. However, a six-game losing streak and recurring issues from his six-year career — a high sack rate (8.66% in 2024, 7.19% career) and frequent turnovers — led to his benching by Thanksgiving. His 3.3% interception rate ranked seventh-highest among qualified QBs in 2024, and his six fumbles in 10 games matched his career trend of 10.3 per 17 games. Given his age (29 in May), track record, and cost, Minshew isn’t a long-term solution.
O’Connell showed promise with standout performances, including an impressive showing against Patrick Mahomes at Arrowhead Stadium in a narrow loss. His full-season sack (3.95%) and interception (1.6%) rates were less than half of Minshew’s, and he fumbled only twice. Despite these flashes, the Purdue product doesn’t project as a top-tier NFL starter, though he could have a solid future as a backup or spot starter.
With several roster needs, Tom Brady and the new leadership duo of GM John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll might consider a veteran stopgap like Sam Darnold, Justin Fields, or Aaron Rodgers. While none offers a clear long-term fix, each could provide stability while the team builds through the draft.
The draft remains the most viable path to finding a sustainable franchise quarterback. However, this presents its own dilemmas: stay put at #6 and hope Miami’s Cam Ward or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders falls? Trade up for a top prospect? Or target the best available quarterback at #37?
To explore these options and identify the prospects who could shape the Raiders’ future under center, we’ve analyzed top NFL mock drafts. Here’s what we found.
Early First-Round QB Options
The 2025 NFL Draft’s quarterback puzzle begins right at the top. If the Tennessee Titans decide that Will Levis’s tenure as their starter is over, they could target a quarterback with the #1 overall pick. Currently, the consensus among ESPN, PFF, The Athletic, and The Ringer is that Miami’s Cam Ward — known for his toughness, big-play ability, athleticism, and high ceiling — is the favorite over Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders.
However, the Titans could opt for the “best player available” strategy, potentially selecting Colorado’s dynamic two-way star and Heisman winner Travis Hunter, Penn State pass-rusher Abdul Carter, or LSU tackle Will Campbell — a much-needed piece for one of the league’s worst offensive lines.
The Cleveland Browns at #2 are a wildcard. Whether they take the massive financial hit to move on from Deshaun Watson or simply wait out his contract, their need for a quarterback is evident. Alternatively, if they retain superstar pass-rusher Myles Garrett despite his trade request, Cleveland could add Hunter or Carter and try to contend with a veteran signal-caller.
At #3, the New York Giants are almost certain to select a quarterback after parting ways with Daniel Jones and lacking any notable QB talent on the roster. They’re even a potential candidate to trade up for Ward.
Picks #4 and #5, held by the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars, respectively, add intrigue. With the Patriots already invested in Drake Maye and the Jaguars set with Trevor Lawrence, neither team is in the QB market. However, both could entertain offers from teams eager to trade up for a top quarterback.