Most Las Vegas Raiders fans are looking into Miami’s Cam Ward or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders to don the silver and black next season.
Right now, however, there might be a slight problem.
Both Ward and Sanders are considered top-three picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. With the Raiders currently sitting at the fifth overall pick, both top quarterback prospects will likely be off the board by the time they are on the clock. It means, barring general manager Tom Telesco trading up, the Raiders will need to develop an alternate gameplan at the position.
Fortunately, recent mock drafts from experts have pointed out a solution that answers the Raiders’ quarterback problem: Alabama Crimson Tide QB Jalen Milroe.
“Milroe is one of the most gifted athletes in all of college football, regardless of position,” said Sports Illustrated’s Daniel Flick, who has the Raiders using the fifth selection on the quarterback.
“He’s amassed 565 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground, and he’s made strides as a passer. This year, he has completed 67.4% of his passes for 2,046 yards and 13 touchdowns. Milroe’s ceiling is tantalizing–he just needs the right environment.”
Milroe represents a significant shift from current quarterback options like Gardner Minshew, Aidan O’Connell, or Desmond Ridder. While the Alabama product is continuing to develop as a passer, he is just as much a threat to take the ball himself and use his legs to generate explosive plays. With the Raiders suffering from an inability to get the ball moving in the run game, that type of dual-threat action could kill two birds with one stone for the team.
As it turns out, Flick is not the only expert who believes this to be the case.
“The Raiders can’t mess around with bridge options and later-round rookies,” states Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer, who also has the Raiders taking Milroe at five.
“They need to land a franchise dual-threat quarterback and build around him with their next full-time offensive schemer. Milroe fits that bill.”
While Milroe might not be as immediately pro-ready as Ward or Sanders, what he offers is a unique skillset that the Raiders have coveted for years. Should the second half of the season see them in a similar spot, expect the hype around Milroe to Las Vegas to become much more substantial.
