Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) reacts after a play against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the second half the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Late Round QB: Good or Bad Investment for Raiders?

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated Mar 23, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders are evaluating all options in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Quarterback is a much less pressing need for the Silver and Black after acquiring veteran Geno Smith, but adding a young, developmental QB could still be a good investment.

While it has not been ruled out, the Raiders are not likely to take a quarterback with the No. 6 overall pick. With Smith and Aidan O’Connell on the roster, the Raiders would be smart to invest that draft pick elsewhere.

If they add other talent, like at running back and wide receiver, it opens up general manager John Spytek to take a quarterback late on day two or potentially day three.

But is that the best decision?

Let’s make the argument for and against adding a late-round quarterback in this year’s draft.

To start, investing in the best position in football is always a safe call. You can never have too many options for signal callers.

On the contrary, some argue that if you have multiple quarterbacks who can start, you have none. An open competition signals that the team is unsure who their best quarterback is, like the Raiders’ situation last season.

This year, Smith should be penciled in as the starter, with O’Connell as the backup. However, if the team drafts a late-round quarterback, they would be essentially burning draft capital by redshirting an emergency rookie QB.

Or would they? Would it really be a detriment to the Raiders to add someone like Ohio State’s Will Howard potentially in the fourth round, someone who is familiar with offensive coordinator Chip Kelly?

That question becomes different if you consider drafting Alabama’s Jalen Milroe in, say, the third round. Milroe is a much more volatile prospect than Howard, and the Raiders would be spending more valuable capital on him.

Don’t sleep on Louisville’s Tyler Shough as a potential riser in this draft class. If, however, he is available later, the Raiders may be intrigued by his skill set and bring him in as a developmental project.

The Raiders have plenty of ways they can spend their draft capital this April. We will see if they decide whether or not bringing in another quarterback is a good investment.

This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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