In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders had numerous opportunities to select a possible Geno Smith replacement. Quinn Ewers, Jalen Milroe, and Shedeur Sanders were among the quarterbacks they repeatedly passed on.
Cam Miller was ultimately selected in the seventh round, but his projected role is backup. It might have been too early to add a developing quarterback this year because Smith is only 34 and should be productive for at least a few more years.
The Raiders might be aggressive in their pursuit of a quarterback the following season, though, if Smith stumbles in 2025 or performs merely mediocrely. Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski created a 2026 mock draft even though the 2025 NFL Draft is hardly chilly.
He thinks the Raiders will use the No. 9 pick to choose Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik.
The Las Vegas Raiders were able to avoid the quarterback position in the early rounds of the 2025 draft class by acquiring veteran Geno Smith in the offseason. However, Smith isn’t a long-term fix,” Sobleski added. After the upcoming season, the Raiders can easily terminate his contract when he turns 35 later this year. …
Klubnik is a superb distributor when he is playing well and making wise choices. He just cannot allow a single negative incident, which frequently occurs in his game, to spiral out of control. Klubnik is still considered a long-term option to someday take over the offense, even if the Raiders wish to retain Smith for 2026.
Report on Scouting in Klubnik
To secure a spot in the top 10, Klubnik would need to have a successful 2025 collegiate season. It seems unlikely that he would have been chosen in the first round if he had participated in this year’s draft.
While praising Klubnik’s athleticism, Bleacher Report expressed concerns about his performance under pressure.
“Klubnik continues to have trouble when defensive pressure is applied.” His decision-making is still dubious if he can’t counter with his athleticism, the BR NFL Scouting Department noted. For possible turnovers, he will place the ball in danger. Klubnik is still getting used to believing in his own vision and development. He occasionally finds himself pinned to a covered receiver without turning to find a wide-open receiver down the field. The ability to manage defensive rotations and adjustments after a snap is Klubnik’s next area of improvement. When the defense runs what they show before the snap, he performs exceptionally well. Klubnik finds it difficult to swiftly assimilate the new knowledge as the image shifts.
“Overall, Cade Klubnik is a talented quarterback prospect with serious starting potential. Defenses will have a lot to worry about because of Klubnik’s dual-threat skill set. As he keeps improving his pocket passing, Klubnik presents a franchise quarterback ceiling.
Await the events of 2025.
The Raiders obviously think Smith can play for at least one season. They extended his contract by two years and acquired him in exchange for a third-round pick. Their decision to pass on selecting a quarterback in the first six rounds, however, was their strongest endorsement of him.
The Raiders obviously want to wait and see how the 2025 campaign unfolds before ruling Smith out as a long-term possibility. After this season, they’ll have a far better understanding of what the position’s future should hold.
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