The Las Vegas Raiders traded for veteran quarterback Geno Smith before NFL free agency began earlier this month. While this likely took the Raiders out of the running for a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft, at least in the early rounds, new head coach Pete Carroll is still keeping an eye on the class as a whole.
Of course, Carroll did not confirm whether the Raiders will draft a quarterback. That answer will come in late April. But the returning veteran head coach shared his thoughts on the overall QB class.
Raiders’ Pete Carroll Opens Up About ‘Interesting’ QB Class
The 2025 NFL Draft class doesn’t feel as star-studded as the 2024 class to some observers. Last year, fans in Detroit watched Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and J.J. McCarthy hear their names called. In April, fans in Green Bay will see Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, and Shedeur Sanders come off the board.
Carroll recently answered questions ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. When asked about his view on the quarterback class, the experienced coach described it in a clip on social media as “interesting.”
🚨Raiders Head Coach Pete Carrol talking about this upcoming Quarterback class and where he see’s them getting selected in the draft🏴☠️ pic.twitter.com/lsxVEn65b4
— ShifftttyyyQB1🏴☠️ (@raiders1022) March 17, 2025
“It’s really interesting. It’s a diverse group. Where they all go and all that remains to be seen. But it’s a very talented group and they’ve done a lot of winning. A lot of high production and a lot of style to the quarterbacks that are in this group.”
Carroll continued, “It is not obvious past a few guys what’s going to happen. But there’s going to be guys throughout the ranks of this class that get chosen that are going to be star players. And they’ve already proven that.”
“It’s up to the teams that get them to put them in position to be successful. That’s harder than it sounds.”
At this point, there is still uncertainty regarding the top of this quarterback class. In PFSN’s latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft, Miami’s Cam Ward was the first quarterback off the board, going to the Cleveland Browns with the second overall pick.
“With effortless arm strength and great improvisation skills, Cam Ward makes a strong case as the top quarterback in this year’s class. How he compares to the 2024 quarterback prospects is another discussion, but at the most important position in the sport, you always aim high. Ward might have the highest ceiling in the 2025 class,” PFSN’s latest mock draft says about Ward.
Ward could certainly be the first quarterback drafted this spring, but that’s not set in stone either. Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, who was projected No. 3 to the New York Giants in the latest mock, is also in contention to be the first quarterback selected. There are also rumors that Ole Miss signal-caller Jaxson Dart could make an early appearance in the first round.
The 2025 NFL Draft is still over a month away. A lot of evaluation and decision-making remains before we get definitive answers. What is clear, however, is that this quarterback class remains intriguing to many involved in the process.