How Likely are the Raiders to Draft Shedeur Sanders?

The Las Vegas Raiders were the perceived favorites to land Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders right up until the Geno Smith trade.

Now, the noise is quieter. It still lingers, though.

The thinking by some is that head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek could still use the No. 6 pick to take Sanders and sit him behind Smith for a season or two to develop.

CBS Sports' Tyler Sullivan named the Raiders as a potential landing spot for the Buffaloes quarterback, though it seems the least likely of the scenarios he proposed.

"The Raiders did trade for Geno Smith this offseason and gave the veteran a two-year extension as well," wrote Sullivan. "That means Sanders -- if selected by Las Vegas -- would have to sit for the foreseeable future. While that's fine as it relates to other organizations, it's a bit dicier here. After all, head coach Pete Carroll is going to turn 74 this September, so he should hardly be looked at as a long-term option to lead the organization. So, if they decide to ride with Smith throughout Carroll's tenure, there's no guarantee that the next coach will simply roll with Sanders as the next man up, muddying his developmental path. Moreover, the Raiders don't have much from a roster perspective outside of tight end Brock Bowers. The team ranked dead last in rushing last season, so Sanders currently wouldn't have any sort of ground game to lean on.

Carroll's age likely wouldn't have anything to do with it. The Raiders are investors, not gamblers, and that is the biggest factor in their decision-making. I wrote a piece on value and the art of good drafting teams, and the move for Sanders likely wouldn't meet the criteria for Spytek.

Per a scouting report from NFL.com's Lance Zierlein:

"Any perceptions that Sanders is a product of Heisman Trophy-winner Travis Hunter’s greatness are slowly dispelled once you hit the tape. He’s seen mixed results under an intensely bright spotlight, but there are no signs his confidence has ever wavered. Sanders possesses a baseline of poise, savvy and accuracy, traits that are integral in becoming an NFL starter. He’s slow-twitch with standard arm talent and a longer release, but he worked around those limitations with anticipation and accuracy. He plays with decent command from the pocket and finds his rhythm when working on-time and on-platform; that said, he will pass on profits and look for the big play too often.

"Average velocity and slower rip times mean tighter windows against faster athletes, so throwing off-platform or trying to do more than his arm talent allows is ill-advised. He’s tough and willing to take the hit to complete the throw once he’s locked into his target. Sanders is pocket mobile and finds clean alternate launch points, but he often creates pressure and sacks with undisciplined pocket drops. The tape says he has the necessary qualities to become a solid game manager if he can operate with better discipline and play to his strengths."

Be sure you follow us on X (formerly Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and IG @HondoSr and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.