The Las Vegas Raiders went into the 2025 offseason with a major need at quarterback. They decided to trade for a veteran in Geno Smith, but given his age and the length of his contract, fans expected them to still select a young signal-caller early in the draft to be Smith's understudy.
Shedeur Sanders was a name linked to Las Vegas throughout the draft process, and there were rumors that he was a target for them with the 6th overall pick. They opted instead to draft Ashton Jeanty out of Boise State, and Sanders began tumbling, as team after team passed over him.