How the NFL Draft Will Affect Geno Smith

Regarding the Las Vegas Raiders' new quarterback, Geno Smith, head coach Pete Carroll said this not long ago:

"We're building always. So, taking Geno [Smith] is an immediate fix for us. It's going to last us. We're going to get a number of years from Geno at his very best. He's healthy and ready to go. He's as tuned in as he's ever been. But that doesn't mean that we don't see a guy - there's some guys coming out that have got tremendous potential, and we'll just take a look at each spot and the opportunity that's presented and the choices that we have. But we're not excluding taking any position at this time."

That being said, the Raiders have still hosted and shown interest in top quarterback prospects from the 2025 NFL Draft, such as Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart, and even Texas Longhorns star Quinn Ewers.

The Raiders could very well take a signal caller in the draft to sit and develop behind Smith for a few seasons. That much is known. However, if the Raiders take a quarterback with their first or even second pick, the timetable could be sped up.

That fact is why CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin named Smith as one of the 10 players, coaches, or executives who could be most affected by the upcoming NFL Draft.

"Las Vegas insists it's all in on Smith, issuing the former Seattle Seahawks standout a pay raise after acquiring him via trade," wrote Benjamin. "Pete Carroll's installation at head coach all but confirms as much, given their history. Yet the Raiders have been sniffing around some of the top quarterback prospects. If they pull the trigger on an early-round signal-caller, all of a sudden Smith may not feel so secure about his long-term Raiders prospects at 34."