The Las Vegas Raiders chose the wrong path by trading for Geno Smith to solve their quarterback woes. In hindsight, the Raiders lack of aggressiveness in drafting a quarterback in the first round of the last couple of drafts has hurt the franchise but may also put them in position to land one of the 2026 NFL Draft’s elite signal callers.
In resetting the team with Smith at QB and Pete Carroll taking over coaching duties, it was supposed to be an intriguing season for the Raiders. With tight end Brock Bowers coming off a historic rookie season and top pick Ashton Jeanty adding exciting on offense, Las Vegas was an interesting team to watch entering the NFL season, but that excitement has faded.
After starting the season 1-0 with a win over the New England Patriots, the Raiders have struggled with Smith under center. The lowlight of the season being a 31-0 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, in which the offense failed to put up 100 total yards. Yikes!
Currently, the Raiders are in position to land one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. With QB prospects like Fernando Hernandez, Ty Simpson and Dante Moore lighting up college football, the question is which one of these young QB’s could be the answer in Vegas?
Raiders nab quarterback star with No. 5 overall pick
In his current NFL Mock Draft, CBS Sports’ writer Mike Renner has connected the Raiders with Oregon quarterback Dante Moore who has the athleticism and arm talent to just what the team needs at QB, but will the Raiders be patient and aggressive enough to draft a player who still needs time to develop?
Reenner writes:
“While the Indiana game was tough, Moore bounced back with his best performance of the season against Rutgers. He's got such a talented arm that it's hard not to see him getting drafted highly -- it's more just a matter of when at this point. With the Raiders having Geno Smith under contract, they can afford to take someone like Moore, who hasn't played a ton of football, to develop in the background.”
In the past two drafts, the Raiders have passed up on moving up a few spots to take QB’s like Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr and J.J. McCarthy and passed on Jaxson Dart in the 2025 NFL Draft. All those quarterbacks, except for McCarthy due to injury, are starting for their teams and having success. Those QBs were also not projected to come in and start right away in the NFL. They all proved to be ready before expected. Moore has the talent to start in Vegas in 2026. It would be a gamble due to the lack of overall football experience, but that’s how the Raiders can utilize a veteran like Smith.
If Moore is available, the Raiders must pounce on the opportunity to land a player with the quick release and deep-ball accuracy the Oregon star has showcased.
NFL Mocks has the Raiders going with another young prospect
While NFL Mocks likes the idea of Moore with the Raiders, the better option is a player like LaNorris Sellers who I have going to the Raiders in the top 10. This would be a different gamble for the Raiders given Sellers’ injury history, but his dual-threat ability would be an instant fit in Vegas, especially adding him to the mix of young, exciting playmakers like Bowers and Jeanty. Like Moore, he could also learn from Smith, but he would also be more of a start now type of option for the Raiders as a top 10 pick.
Either way, the Raiders need a quarterback to get excited about. Either Moore or Sellers can fill that void.