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It’s looking like a lost season for the Las Vegas Raiders but the future could be bright if they land the right quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft. According to Tankathon, the team currently holds the No. 7 pick, which would make it difficult to land one of the top quarterbacks.
If that positioning holds, the Raiders may not have a chance at Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders or Miami’s Cam Ward, who are both considered the two top quarterback prospects as of right now. However, that may not stop the team from using their first-round pick to address the position.
Kyle Crabbs of The 33rd Team put together a mock draft and projected the Raiders to add LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier.
“The Raiders have been sorely in the quarterback market since moving on from quarterback Derek Carr,” Crabbs wrote. “Without a viable long-term option in place, the Raiders have felt a bit directionless on offense as a result. LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier has some of the most attractive quarterbacking reps of any eligible player this season — don’t expect to find any of them on the film from this past weekend’s game against Texas A&M.
“That poor showing showcased Nussmeier’s lack of experience. But the Raiders cannot afford to swing and miss in that quarterback market again this offseason.”
Garrett Nussmeier Rising up Draft Boards
Prior to the season, not many had Nussmeier on their radar for top quarterback prospects. Pro Football Focus didn’t even have him among the top 10 quarterbacks to know. The fact that he’ll likely get drafted before Georgia’s Carson Beck is a wild turn of events.
Nussmeier’s numbers don’t jump off the page. He has 20 touchdown passes to nine interceptions this season. However, he’s got a big arm and his father played in the NFL and is a coach. He’s been around football his whole life and is a smart player.
The big concern with him is that he doesn’t have a lot of experience for a 22-year-old prospect. This is his first year starting. He can declare for the draft this year but he may decide that it’s best to go back for another year. That said, teams may be intrigued by his big arm and football IQ. If he knows he’s going to be a first-round pick, it’s hard to imagine he’ll wait another year.
Raiders Need Better Coaching to Take a Risk on Nussmeier
A quarterback like Sanders has to appeal to the Raiders because he’s having a lot of success with suspect offensive coaching and poor talent around him. Las Vegas could be going through another offensive coordinator change this offseason and if they hire the wrong one, that could ruin any quarterback development.
Nussmeier is so raw that he’ll need a lot of coaching early in his career. It’s possible that he ends up being the best quarterback in the class but the Raiders may want somebody with less projection. Las Vegas could also overhaul the coaching staff and try to go after a bright young offensive mind like Ben Johnson or Bobby Slowik. Those coaches could be excited about working with a quarterback like Nussmeier.
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