C
Las Vegas Raiders
A franchise passer in Sanders headlines a C weekend for the Raiders.
by [email protected] ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 11 picks
· 3 steals
· 0 reaches
The one hole that towered over the rest is filled. The Raiders spent their marquee pick on Shedeur Sanders, and for the first time in a while there is a real answer at quarterback. Fine in stretches, shaky in others: a C.
The Lambert-Smith pick is the one they will point to when this weekend is judged. They punted on edge rusher, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. Riley Moss gives the group a proven body among the projects.
The trades cost them a sliver of value they did not need to spend.
If Shedeur Sanders and a couple of the gambles land, hindsight will be kinder than this grade.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 6th pick they get the arm they will build around at fair value. A real need, handled.
In pick No. 20 they get protection for the quarterback. The biggest hole, addressed.
Emeka Egbuka slid further than he should have, and Round 2, Pick 5 is lovely value for the wide receiver. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Jonah Savaiinaea in the 51st overall pick lands just on the right side of the ledger. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
They did well to land Dylan Sampson in pick 68, just ahead of his grade. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Good price on Quinshon Judkins in No. 73, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Nice patience on Savion Williams, who had no business lasting to slot 107. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Oronde Gadsden II in the Round 5 slot is exactly on the number, no argument either way. A need, and now a little less of one.
By-the-book stuff, Dont'e Thornton Jr. at Round 6, Pick 4 squarely in line with his ranking. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
A reasonable price with a little left over, JJ Pegues in the 193rd pick. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
The board fumbled KeAndre Lambert-Smith all the way to the Round 6 slot, and they scooped it up. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.