Although the Las Vegas Raiders’ front office would surely love to add a quarterback with the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, there’s a solid likelihood that neither Cam Ward nor Shedeur Sanders will be available.
The Miami and Colorado QBs are expected to go off the board within the top five, with teams like the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, and New York Giants picking above Las Vegas. This could force the Raiders to pivot elsewhere on Day 1, potentially adding a defensive star like Georgia safety Malaki Starks.
But the Raiders still need a quarterback with some level of promise under center next season for head coach Pete Carroll. So where, or better yet, when should Las Vegas take its shot at the position?
Raiders Predicted To Gamble on Quinn Ewers on Day 2
In a weak QB class, there are limited options for the Raiders if they opt to avoid free agency. One later-round option in the draft is Texas Longhorns’ Quinn Ewers.
In his latest 7-round mock draft for Pro Football Network, Matthew Cannata has Las Vegas moving pick 73 in exchange for Nos. 86 and 124 overall and selecting Ewers with the former.
“Quinn Ewers commands the field with exceptional arm talent and the ability to dissect defenses under any conditions,” Cannata wrote. “He thrives under pressure, attacks every level of the field, and plays with a gritty, leave-it-all-on-the-field mentality that NFL fans will love.”
Ewers played three collegiate seasons with the Longhorns, where he recorded a total of 76 touchdowns. The 6’2″ quarterback finished his 2024 campaign with 3,472 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
Cannata later pointed out arguably the biggest concern for the organization that decides to select the 21-year-old Texas native.
“While injury concerns and boundary consistency remain areas for growth, these are minor nitpicks. Ewers’ potential shines, and staying healthy through a full season is the key to solidifying his NFL readiness,” Cannata concluded.
Former NFL Scout Shares Opinion on Ewers
NFL experts have been sharing their thoughts on Ewers in recent months, including former scout Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com, who sat down on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Jan. 23 and analyzed the former top recruit.
“With Ewers, I watched him over the summer and was excited about him coming into the year. I felt like I was higher on him than a lot of people. Now he got hurt, and one of the things I’ve got to try and figure out and get information on as we go through the spring is how much of that impacted him. Because he didn’t play as well, he wasn’t as urgent and quick,” Jeremiah said.
“But then he had the oblique that bothered him, he had a high-ankle sprain. So, how much did that impact him? He didn’t play as well as me and some others had hoped he would, based off where he was last year,” Jeremiah concluded.
It’s clear if Ewers has the ability to overcome health concerns, he could be the answer for a franchise for years to come.