The Las Vegas Raiders aren't messing around with any slow-played rebuild under new head coach Pete Carroll. They might keep one eye slightly on the future, but the Raiders are going to try to gain ground in the AFC West quickly and they are believing that veteran Geno Smith is the man to help them do it at the quarterback position.
Although Smith is imperfect, he's probably the best quarterback the Raiders will have had since Derek Carr was at his very best for the team, and he already represents an appreciable upgrade for Vegas over what they have had in the last couple of seasons.
So what will Pete Carroll and company look to do in the 2025 NFL Draft? How will they not only support the addition of Geno Smith but also set the franchise up to win from now on...baby?
Let's put our armchair GM hats on and hit a brand-new 2025 NFL Mock Draft: Las Vegas Raiders edition.
Las Vegas Raiders 2025 NFL Mock Draft: Shedeur Sanders the QB in waiting
1st round: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Even though the Raiders made the trade for Geno Smith, they still don't likely have their quarterback of the "future" on the roster just yet. Not that there is pressure for that to happen immediately, but if Shedeur Sanders is still on the board with the 6th overall pick, the Raiders will probably have an interesting decision to make in their war room.
Sanders could go as high as the first QB off the board or he could potentially fall down into the mid-late first round as we explored in our latest 3-round mock draft scenario.
I tend to believe that a team like the Raiders went after Geno Smith because they're not certain that Sanders will be on the board at pick 6 overall. They could end up being left without a date to the dance and they didn't want to be caught in that situation, hence the trade for Smith. While Smith raises the floor temporarily, we saw last year how important it was for the Falcons to stick to their convictions with Michael Penix Jr., because you never know when veterans are going to fall completely off.
2nd round: Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
The New York Giants get clowned quite a bit for letting Saquon Barkley leave in NFL Free Agency and justifiably so. But the Raiders don't get clowned quite enough for a similarly bad move of letting Josh Jacobs walk in NFL Free Agency to the Green Bay Packers.
The absence of Jacobs was felt in a big way last year for the Raiders, who clearly need a new featured running back for their offense. Luckily for them, the 2025 NFL Draft class is absolutely loaded at the position and Quinshon Judkins could be the perfect fit for what Pete Carroll has always coveted at the position.
Judkins is big, fast, strong, and nimble. He can plow through defenders or he can blow by them. Some have compared him to Marshawn Lynch and if Carroll even gets a whiff of Lynch from this guy, the Raiders won't likely hestitate to pick him.
3rd round: Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State
You made the trade for the quarterback, you drafted another quarterback, now keep getting those guys support in the form of either weapons or offensive linemen. The wide receiver class in the 2025 NFL Draft doesn't appear to have the type of top-end talent that gets NFL scouting departments giddy, but there are a lot of really intriguing players deeper down the board like Jaylin Noel.
Noel is one of a handful of freaky-athletic Iowa State prospects in this year's class and one of a couple of wide receivers (Jayden Higgins) with the ideal combination of height/weight/speed.
The Raiders could pair Noel up with some of their smaller, faster receivers and let him win contested catch situations in favorable matchups.
4th round: Charles Grant, OL, William & Mary
At 6-foot-5, 311 pounds with nearly 35-inch arms, it's probably a bit of a stretch to think William & Mary sleeper prospect Charles Grant is going to last until the third day of the 2025 NFL Draft. But you can hope, right?
The Mock Draft simulators are still spitting Grant out in the fourth round and if that happens, the Raiders shouldn't hesitate to pick him. He has plus athleticism, outstanding size, and he projects well at the next level at either tackle or guard.
5th round: Aeneas Peebles, DL, Virginia Tech
This defensive line class is absolutely loaded from top to bottom and it would be roster malpractice not to come away with at least one from the class. A squatty defensive tackle at just 6-foot-1, 282 pounds, Peebles is explosive and makes plays in the backfield.
6th round: Willie Lampkin, OL, North Carolina
It's going to be fascinating to see if Willie Lampkin actually gets drafted because he's one of the rarest offensive line prospects you'll ever see. Lampkin is only 5-foot-10 and change and 270 pounds. He's one of the shortest offensive line prospects in history but his arm length holds up and his athleticism is off the charts. His wrestling background helps him tremendously.
6th round: Luke Lachey, TE, Iowa
When in doubt in the NFL Draft, just take an Iowa tight end. These guys are typically going to be ready-made for the NFL as blockers and Luke Lachey probably has untapped potential as a receiver because Iowa's quarterbacks are just not competent enough to get these guys real looks in the passing game.
6th round: Jordan Hancock, CB, Ohio State
You will rarely see an NFL team go an entire draft class without at least one defensive back picked up. Jordan Hancock started the last two years at Ohio State and had three interceptions, four forced fumbles, and 14 passes defensed. He could end up being a strong special teams player right away.
7th round: Upton Stout, CB, Western Kentucky
Small but athletic, Upton Stout has played a lot of football and has the competitive style of play to transition from outside corner at Western Kentucky to playin inside the slot on a full-time basis in the NFL. He could be a top Day 3 NFL Draft steal in 2025.