The idea of the Raiders drafting a quarterback early in 2025 feels like a foregone conclusion.
Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports certainly believes that to be the case, as he listed the Raiders as a best fit for the two top quarterback prospects in 2025: Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders.
“Ward is not [Buffalo quarterback Josh] Allen 2.0, but he’s demonstrated a knack for generating splash plays out of nowhere — a vintage Allen trait — this season in Miami,” Trapasso said.
“His 6.6% Big-Time Throw rate is the highest among top quarterback prospects in this class, and fitting in challenging throws downfield is another trademark part of Allen’s game. And 2024 will be Ward’s third-consecutive season with full-time starting experience at the Division 1 FBS level.”
Allen was not the only star NFL quarterback Trapasso compared Ward to, as he also made a connection to one that Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce already has knowledge of: Washington Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels.
“Pierce was at Arizona State for part of the Jayden Daniels tenure,” Trapasso noted. “Ward isn’t as nimble as Daniels, but there are similarities in their play style.”
Making the comparison of Ward to Daniels is huge as far as fit on the field is considered. Pierce watched Daniels develop, and it would be hard to resist the temptation of drafting a similar quarterback in Ward if the same NFL-translatable skills are present.
Ward is not the only option presented by Trapasso for the Raiders, however. For similar reasons, Sanders also represents a stylistic fit in Las Vegas.
“Sanders is an older prospect, and it appears post-COVID, NFL teams are less concerned about a 23 or 24 year old quarterback prospect if he’s entering the NFL with a significant amount of experience in college. And Sanders has that,” Trapasso said.
“The Raiders should be in on everyone, but I’d love Sanders in Las Vegas, although a team shouldn’t make a quarterback decision in the draft based on the impact on ticket sales and media attention.”
While Sanders is more of a traditional pocket passer than Ward, his calming presence under center will be a welcome addition to the Raiders. On top of that, his on-field swagger and personality provide an opportunity to bring in new fans.
Sanders’s bombastic public persona will make waves, but Ward currently represents the more seamless on-field fit. Once the draft order is finalized and the Raiders’ coaching staff for next season begins to take shape, fans will know more about where the organization’s heart truly lies.
