The Las Vegas Raiders had a strong 2025 NFL draft, but if there’s one gripe we have, it was the team opting to pass on quarterbacks in the earlier rounds.
The Raiders did eventually draft a quarterback in Cam Miller, but did so in the sixth round. Las Vegas also added Tommy Mellott, but it appears he’s moving from quarterback to wide receiver at the next level.
It’s clear the Raiders didn’t love any of the quarterbacks that were on the board for them, which leaves them with a soon-to-be 35-year-old Geno Smith at the helm. Smith is a fine bridge option, but isn’t the future at the position in Las Vegas.
We would expect the Raiders to find their quarterback of the future in the 2026 NFL draft, and Ian Cummings of Pro Football and Sports Network agrees.
He has the Raiders taking electric South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers with the No. 7 overall pick in next year’s draft, which also means the Raiders didn’t have much success in 2025.
“Geno Smith was extended for two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders, prolonging his contract past the 2026 campaign,” Cummings wrote. “He’s in his prime right now and in a comfortable setting, but he’ll be 37 years old in 2027. It’s not a bad idea for Las Vegas to go the Jordan Love route in 2026.
“An uncommon talent like LaNorris Sellers, in particular, could be the ideal developmental target for Pete Carroll and John Spytek,” he added. “At 6’3″, 240 pounds, with 99th-percentile acceleration and cutting flexibility, Sellers is an unnatural creator, and his arm is live.”
Cummings mentions Smith’s contract that runs through 2027. However, Las Vegas can easily get out of his deal after 2026, so he’s really only locked-in through next season.
Sellers got his first starting opportunity in 2024 and showed why he’s one of the highest-ceiling prospects ahead of next year’s draft.
The South Carolina star completed 65.6% of his passes for 2,534 yards, rushed for another 674 yards and scored 25 total touchdowns (18 passing, seven rushing).
Sellers might need some extra time to develop, especially if he comes out early. But with Smith under contract in 2026, that’s perfectly fine for the Raiders.
That said, Sellers checks some important boxes. His arm talent is special and he has plenty of zip on his passes. Adding to that, Sellers is dynamic with the ball in his hands and can rip off huge chunks of yardage with back-breaking scrambles.
Sellers does need work on his touch, anticipation and decision-making, but those are things he can fix, especially with NFL coaching. He’ll have at least one more year to work on that stuff before he possibly declares for the draft.
We say possibly because Sellers doesn’t need to come out in 2026, as he has multiple more years of eligibility.
However, if he can build on what he did in 2024 with another exceptional showing in 2025, not only could Sellers declare, he might be the top overall quarterback prospect in 2026.
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