Dating back to last offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders have been the team most heavily linked to Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft. It was ironic when the team traded for Geno Smith, who is the quarterback that Sanders has most often been compared to.
With Smith on the team, it's much less likely the Raiders will consider taking Sanders in the first round of the draft. Though the Colorado star seemed very interested in going to Las Vegas, he still has love for Smith.
The two were previously seen spending time together and Sanders was able to share some details on his relationship with the veteran quarterback.
"I knew him for a minute, but then I was really excited, you know, that he was able to when he went to the Raiders and everything," Sanders said on his "2Legendary" podcast. "Talking to him, it just showed that he's a cool person, somebody you could kick it with."
Smith may be the perfect quarterback to have Sanders sit behind. The problem with that idea is that Smith is only 34 and should be a starter for at least a few more seasons.
If the Raiders draft a quarterback, it seems more likely they'd use a third or fourth-round pick on a developmental prospect. Sanders is considered one of the most pro-ready quarterbacks in the draft so it wouldn't make much sense to have him sit behind Smith for multiple seasons.
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This story was originally published April 2, 2025 at 1:06 PM.