The Las Vegas Raiders have generated considerable excitement with their offseason acquisitions, notably the additions of head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith. However, substantial work remains to elevate the team’s performance. Their 4-13 record from the previous season, while potentially poised for improvement due to factors like their poor fumble recovery rate and turnover margin, makes a playoff push in the highly competitive AFC West seem like a significant challenge.
A persistent issue plaguing the Raiders is the lack of young, homegrown talent, a consequence of subpar draft selections and questionable decisions during the Jon Gruden and Josh McDaniels eras.
Despite having 14 first- and second-round picks between 2018 and 2023, including those traded for Davante Adams, only a handful of those players remain significant contributors. Left tackle Kolton Miller, selected in 2018, is the sole remaining player from that draft. Maxx Crosby, from the 2019 class, is another standout. The 2020 draft yielded no current roster members.
Malcolm Koonce is the only remaining player from the 2021 class. Dylan Parham is the only starter from the 2022 draft. 2023 first-round pick Tyree Wilson and second-round pick Michael Mayer have yet to establish consistent roles. While Brock Bowers, a 2024 first-round pick, shows promise, the team’s roster reveals a significant gap in young, developing talent.
Las Vegas Raiders 1st Round Draft Scenarios
The Raiders’ trade for Geno Smith, which involved a third-round pick acquired from the Jets in the Davante Adams deal, leaves them with their full complement of original draft picks and two additional compensatory sixth-rounders. Unless they are strongly inclined to select Shedeur Sanders at No. 6, a strategic move would be to trade down and focus on building through young players. Pete Carroll’s early success in Seattle, where the Seahawks benefited from multiple draft picks in his initial years, provides a blueprint for the Raiders’ long-term vision, emphasizing smart, short-term decisions that contribute to sustained growth.
The 2025 NFL Draft presents a complex scenario, contingent on how the draft board unfolds ahead of their selection. Should Shedeur Sanders unexpectedly slide in the draft order, teams positioned behind the Raiders might be eager to trade up, seeking to acquire the highly touted quarterback. Given the Raiders’ recent acquisition of Geno Smith, they may opt to capitalize on this opportunity, accumulating additional draft capital in the process. This potential scenario underscores the importance of exploring all available options. However, for both the Raiders and the aforementioned team, strategically trading down appears to be the most prudent path forward, enabling them to maximize their draft assets and build for the future.