Raiders are on the clock: QBs to consider in 2025 NFL draft

The Raiders are 2-5, their best offensive player was traded last week and the starting quarterback went on injured reserve this week.

Now, they have a home game against the two-time defending world champion Chiefs and a road game in Cincinnati before their bye week.

So, of course, it’s that time of year again when Raiders fans start turning their attention to the NFL draft because the optimism of landing a future star far outweighs any hope of a playoff appearance.

That seems to happen sooner and sooner each season.

The harsh reality is this is a team that isn’t going to come close to taking the next step until it finds a franchise quarterback.

There was speculation that the Raiders might look to do that through free agency, but Dak Prescott signed a massive extension with the Cowboys.

The rest of the potential free-agent quarterbacks don’t inspire much excitement, so the Raiders most likely will address the need through the draft.

If the season ended today, the Raiders would have the No. 8 pick. That will obviously change each week, and every spot will matter in terms of their ability to draft the prospect they want.

These things do matter. Last year, the Raiders really wanted LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels. But they won too many games down the stretch and weren’t in a position to trade up for him even if the Commanders had made the No. 2 pick available.

Daniels has quickly turned around that franchise.

Fans hoping to track where the Raiders will pick should not only pay attention to their record but that of their opponents.

Currently, three teams with 2-5 records would pick ahead of the Raiders because their opponents have a lower combined winning percentage.

Here’s a look at some of the top quarterbacks the Raiders should have a realistic chance at drafting:

Cam Ward, Miami

There is no such thing as a perfect prospect. The 2025 quarterback class doesn’t have a truly elite one, so it’s probably not a great year to be in desperate need of one. Ward is probably the best of the bunch. The thing that might look best in the evaluation process, even beyond his pure talent, is how Ward is called upon to save the Hurricanes most weeks and seems to always come through.

Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

Expect Sanders to be connected to the Raiders in most quarterback conversations from now until the draft. His father, Colorado coach Deion Sanders, has made it clear he wants to dictate where Shedeur plays, and the Raiders are believed to be on that preferred list. Shedeur was among the first group of athletes to sign an NIL deal with Tom Brady’s apparel brand, and Brady is now a minority owner of the franchise. Shedeur was even seen with Raiders owner Mark Davis at an Aces game this past season. It would be a great match. Oh, and beyond the flash, Sanders has improved his ability to make accurate throws to all three levels. He has a quick release that has been honed playing behind a suspect offensive line. There are still questions about his overall arm talent and consistent decision-making, but he has been answering more and more of those each week.

Quinn Ewers, Texas

Ewers has one of the best arms of any prospect in recent years, but that strength also might be responsible for some of the criticism about his NFL potential. Ewers tends to trust his arm too much at times and force the ball into places he probably shouldn’t. He often gets away with it, but not always. His immense arm strength is also partly responsible for him not always setting his feet and throwing with a consistent and fundamentally sound base. Those issues probably can be fixed, but they might keep him from being a sure-fire top half of the first-round selection.

Drew Allar, Penn State

Allar has prototypical size and arm strength for an NFL quarterback, so he’s going to intrigue some teams. He definitely has boom or bust written all over him. He also has done a pretty good job cleaning up some consistency issues, especially against better opponents on the schedule. He’s probably not an immediate starter in the NFL.

Jalen Milroe, Alabama

There probably will be a lot of debate about Milroe in the draft process, especially because the Crimson Tide have taken a step back as a program. Milroe has been inconsistent this season. After a sensational game against Georgia, he was viewed by many draft prognosticators as the top quarterback prospect in the class. Three weeks later, there are suggestions he should stay in school. His mechanics have gotten out of whack. But if he finds his release point again and can get his arm and legs on the same plane, he could again show why many believe he is the best prospect in the class. Obviously, his running ability is a difference-maker.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.