The Las Vegas Raiders had every opportunity to draft Shedeur Sanders.Nine, to be exact. And yet, they didn’t take him once.
That’s raised more than a few eyebrows across the league. Sanders-arguably one of the most talked-about quarterbacks entering the 2025 draft-was still available when the Raiders picked at No. 6. He remained available on Day 3, long after the high-stakes pressure had passed. Still no move.
It wasn’t about talent. Sanders‘ arm strength, poise under pressure, and marketability made him a projected first-rounder for much of the year. So why did Las Vegas-now partially led by Tom Brady in the ownership suite-keep looking the other way?
Inside the Raiders’ draft room: Protecting Geno over rolling the dice
As it turns out, the answer might have less to do with Sanders and more to do with Geno Smith.
According to The Athletic’s Mike Sando, an NFL executive suggested that head coach Pete Carroll didn’t want to ruffle feathers with the veteran quarterback he just traded for-especially this late in his career.
“My guess is that Pete doesn’t want to do Geno the way Atlanta did Cousins,” the exec said, referring to the Falcons’ now-infamous decision to draft Michael Penix Jr. right after signing Kirk Cousins. “For Pete, let’s face it: How long is he going to coach that team? Does he really want to start his last chance by alienating the quarterback he just got?”
It’s a fair question. Smith and Carroll go way back to their Seahawks days. With Carroll joining the Raiders in what may be his final head coaching stint, it tracks that he’d want to keep things drama-free. Drafting a flashy, high-profile quarterback like Sanders could’ve sent the wrong message.
That said, there’s a twist. Smith and Sanders already have a relationship. They’ve trained together, and by most accounts, there’s mutual respect. Which makes the Raiders’ cold shoulder even more surprising.
Maybe Brady and Carroll are playing the long game. Or maybe they just didn’t see a fit. Either way, Sanders is heading elsewhere-and the Raiders are betting big on Geno.
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