The Las Vegas Raiders' 19-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday improved their record to 3-11 and sent them tumbling down the 2025 NFL Draft board. Potential top-three pick Shedeur Sanders of Colorado noticed Las Vegas's win, simply tweeting "legendary."
Per Tankathon, the Raiders would draft sixth if the season ended today and the New York Giants would select first. Most of the comments under Sanders's tweet showed him photoshopped in a New York jersey. Just weeks ago, Sanders was recorded having a catch in the streets of New York with star receiver Malik Nabers.
The 2-12 Giants were once again pummeled, this time losing 34-7 to rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr and the Atlanta Falcons. The consensus top-three choices in the 2025 NFL Draft as Sanders, his Colorado teammate and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, and Miami quarterback Cam Ward.
Raiders coach Antonio Pierce was coy when asked what his response to the part of Raider Nation "that is focused on the first overall draft pick," simply stating: "Talk to [Las Vegas General Manager] Tom Telesco."
Aiden O'Connell drew the start under center for the Raiders on Sunday and played well. The 2023 fourth-round pick completed 24 of his 38 passes for 257 yards. He's one of three players, alongside Gardner Minshew and Desmond Ridder, to start for the Raiders at quarterback.
"Definitely weight off the shoulders for sure," O'Connell said of the win. "It was just fun to see the smiles again … Super proud of our coaches, administration, [and] players for just doing a great job."
Sensational rookie tight end Brock Bowers once again was the team's leading pass-catcher, hauling in 11 passes for 99 yards. He currently is tied for second in the NFL in receptions. "The vibes are way better," he said following the win.
Pierce echoed the sentiment. "Good to see all those smiling faces from our players, our staff, everyone involved in our organization," he said. "Obviously, you don't want to go through what we went through over the last 10 weeks, but that's behind us."
With Sanders, Hunter, and Ward all off the board, Tankathon projects Las Vegas to select Michigan cornerback Will Johnson with the sixth pick in the first. In the second round, the site projects the Raiders to choose Georgia quarterback Carson Beck. The Bulldogs starter entered the season as a consensus first-round pick but his seen his star fade with an up-and-down campaign.
