Latest mock draft has the Raiders doing something most NFL teams refuse to do but it might be their best path forward

The Las Vegas Raiders held the number one overall pick just a few weeks ago. But now the team has won two straight games and have fallen to eighth in the 2025 NFL Draft order. All eyes are on the Raiders targeting a quarterback in the upcoming NFL Draft, but what if the top options are […]

Destin Adams NFL News Writer
Add as preferred source on Google
Dec 29, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce looks on against the New Orleans Saints during the second half at Caesars Superdome.
Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders held the number one overall pick just a few weeks ago. 

But now the team has won two straight games and have fallen to eighth in the 2025 NFL Draft order. All eyes are on the Raiders targeting a quarterback in the upcoming NFL Draft, but what if the top options are all gone before they are on the clock? 

In a new A to Z Sports mock draft, reality played out, and what the Raiders do might just shock you. 


Raiders land Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty in new mock draft

Sep 28, 2024; Boise, Idaho, USA; Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) after scoring a 64-yard touchdown versus the Washington State Cougars at Albertsons Stadium.
Brian Losness-Imagn Images

"The first shocker in the top 10 is Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty landing with the Raiders. Las Vegas desperately has to improve at the QB position, but where they currently stand in the draft makes it unlikely that they land Ward or Sanders. I think the best route is targeting a veteran like Sam Darnold or maybe even Aaron Rodgers to start in 2025, and adding Jeanty to solidify their mediocre run game would help them get the most out of whoever that veteran is."

New A to Z Sports mock draft 

The Raiders don't have a QB on their roster that they seem to have any belief in at the moment. So, of course, it would have been ideal for them to land one of the top two QBs in the 2025 Draft class. But with them now sitting at eight, that would likely require an aggressive trade-up. 

And at this moment, I'm not sure if that's something this team with multiple other holes can honestly afford to do. So instead, they target the Heisman runner-up in Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty to upgrade their running game drastically. Their leading rusher in 2024 was Alexander Mattison, who had only 400 yards. 

Their run game needs a complete makeover because, as it currently stands, it would be no help for a rookie QB. Adding Jeanty would fix that immediately by adding a dynamic playmaker who can take a run to the house in the blink of an eye. This move would also open the door for the Raiders to be aggressive in the veteran QB market for someone having a career year like Sam Darnold, or maybe Tom Brady could convince them to go after a vet like Aaron Rodgers.