Las Vegas Raiders expected to pursue top-two pick in 2025 NFL Draft, have specific targets in mind

Las Vegas Raiders
Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders are fresh off hiring Pete Carroll as their new head coach and John Spytek as the general manager. Unlike in his previous stop as the Seattle Seahawks’ leader, coach Carroll no longer has final say over the 53-man roster, which means Spytek is in charge.

His biggest order of business is on finding a new franchise quarterback. Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell haven’t shown signs of developing into Super Bowl-caliber QBs, which means it’s time for an upgrade in Vegas.

The good news is the Raiders are trying to get aggressive in the 2025 NFL Draft, and they have a specific plan in mind.

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Las Vegas Raiders reportedly targeting top-two pick in 2025 NFL Draft

Las Vegas Raiders
Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders boast the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. That may not be good enough to land the young franchise quarterback they covet.

Recent reports have indicated that the Tennessee Titans are keen on selecting University of Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the first overall pick. The next quarterback projected to be selected in the first round is University of Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. He could be a candidate to be drafted by the Cleveland Browns with the second overall pick, but other reports suggest Deion’s son’s stock is slipping.

Most analysts would say there are only two quarterbacks worthy of a first-round pick, which could mean the Raiders may be out of luck by the time they’re on the clock with the sixth overall pick. This mindset could prompt some aggressive action by the Raiders’ front office.

Related: 2025 NFL mock draft: Latest Round 1 projections

Here’s what Sportskeeda’s NFL insider Tony Pauline has been hearing at the Shrine Bowl in Texas this week.

“People are confident Spytek knows personnel and will do a good job filling in the missing pieces on the Raiders roster. They also expect Spytek and the Raiders will be one of the teams working hard to move up into one of the top two spots at the top of the draft so they can select a quarterback.”

Pauline on Las Vegas Raiders

Other reports have suggested University of Alabama’s Jalen Milroe could sneak into the first-round conversation too, but much of that depends on how he handles himself during the pre-draft evaluation, which includes this week’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

Unless Milroe can make an incredible impression over the next three months, the Raiders may feel compelled to trade up, which could cost some valuable draft compensation. However, if that means landing their next franchise quarterback, it could be a price worth paying.

Related: Las Vegas Raiders ‘ridiculed’ by NFL personnel for Pete Carroll hiring

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