It seems unfathomable a few months ago, but all signs in the second week of April are pointing to Shedeur Sanders being on the board when the Raiders are on the clock with the no. 6 pick in the draft.
From ESPN’s Adam Schefter to NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, the expectation among just about every insider covering the draft right now is that Sanders is going to take a plunge on draft day.
As of Tuesday morning, the New Orleans Saints, who own the no. 9 pick in the draft, are the Fan Duel favorites to draft Sanders and the Raiders are the seventh most-likely team to take him despite a relative need at quarterback and sitting at the sixth pick in the draft.
The Giants might be in the mix for Sanders, but Schefter believes the Giants, who have one of the worst quarterback situations in the NFL, are expected to pass on Shedeur with the no. 3 pick.
“The latest intel is that Travis Hunter is the likely pick [in Cleveland],” Schefter said this week on his podcast this week.
“This is, to me, going to be the great question of round one. Where does Shedeur Sanders go?” Schefter said. “Because it doesn’t look like [picks] two or three.”
Schefter added that Shedeur could end up going to a team like the Saints, Steelers or another wild card scenario that no one is talking about.
As for the Raiders, there may be differing opinions in the building on who they should take with the sixth pick, but a monologue last week from flagship radio host ‘JT the Brick’ was particularly interesting.
“I watched Shedeur Sanders make every throw today… and he looked really good. His dad is one of the greatest of all time. He’s got the DNA,” JT said. “This is a message to the Cleveland Browns and the New York Giants. He’s right there for you to draft him, and if it turns out that he becomes an elite quarterback and you passed on him, both of those franchises will live to regret it.”
Obviously, JT didn’t include the Raiders as a team that would “live to regret” not taking Shedeur if his NFL career takes off, but it’s fair to think the same logic should apply to the Raiders.
There has been a lot of buzz around Geno Smith in recent days, but his recent contract extension was structured in a way that the Raiders can move away from him after one season without major financial implications.
Obviously, the ties between Tom Brady and the Sanders family have been well documented, so it will be fascinating to see what the Raiders do with the no. 6 pick if Shedeur is on the board.
x: @raidersbeat
A lot of drama. I would rather see Dillon Gabriel in the 3rd.
Select DB & WR IN 1st and 2nd
Based on what I’m reading about his pro day, Sanders doesn’t appear to have the skills to justify being a top 10 draft pick. Of course, he plays the most important position on a team so QB-needy teams may have him overvalued. Without a doubt, he is the wildcard of the draft. I’m going to predict that he’ll be drafted in the 1st round and won’t make it past Pittsburgh.
Jaxson Dart, or Tyler Shough in this draft!