Eagles Super Bowl Win Will Be The Blueprint For Raiders 2025 Draft Strategy
Did the Eagles’ Super Bowl Win Reveal the Raiders’ Draft Blueprint? Why the Raiders Could Copy Their Formula at #6!
It feels like in this years draft the chances for the new coaching regime in Las Vegas to either build a great rookie class or to fail miserably are unusually high. Draft month is officially upon us and the nail biting will intensify by the day from now on.
What to do with that damn first round pick at No. 6?
The Raiders enter this year’s draft with multiple roster needs – like every below 0.5 team, every year -, but SpyDaCaB (John Spytek, Mark Davis, coach Carroll and Tom Brady) have already moved the needle in free agency enough so that the focus for many people shifts away from QB regarding that #6 pick, and rightfully so.
Usually teams shy away from taking a running back early in the draft and with good reason. Positional value concerns are real, but so are game-changers like Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley.
In this article we’ll explore why the Raiders should consider Ashton Jeanty at No. 6, despite conventional wisdom suggesting otherwise.
1. The Lack of Reachable Quarterback Talent in the Draft
The general consensus seems to be that the pick up of Eugene Cyril “Geno” Smith III is a great one for the Silver and Black. I do share that sentiment and would add that Geno represents the middle ground of the biggest downsides that befogged the other sure-fire alternatives Matthew Stafford or Sam Darnold.
Unlike Matthew Stafford he is a prime choice for a run-first offense, which seems to be where the coaching staff is heading. In contrast to Sam Darnold he offers more immediate stability because he has proven to be a valuable contributor for more than one season.
His signing puts the back office instantly in a better position to make well thought through decisions in the 2025 draft. The need for a reach at QB – previously arguably the main need – is no more. Because, let’s face it, in this year’s draft the lack of reachable QB talent is obvious outside the top 3 picks. When you select outside the top spots, the cost would just be too high for picking up Cam Ward who is the closest you get to a franchise signal caller this year.
Lower tier quarterback talent is plenty though in 2025. A lot of them have great ceiling potential like Jalen Milroe, Shedeur Sanders or Jaxson Dart but also bear great risks.
A lot of people even argue that Cam Ward does not stand out from his peers and they might have a case but I am not going to go into that right now.
What I do want to point out though is that when we look at the decision makers that are juggling the choices balls at the Black Hole we can see a great tendency toward running the football. It is not only Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly that like their team to carry the pigskin down the field.
Tom Brady’s influence in decision making is obvious and he historically thrived with strong run support (Corey Dillon, LeGarrette Blount, Leonard Fournette). It is only natural to go for things that worked well in your own playing career.
On top of that – having been the 199th overall pick in his day – he is gonna be the first one to tell everybody that an organization won’t only find franchise QBs at the top of the draft but in the middle and late rounds as well. But sitting behind a starter for a year or two will be important to him as well.
All this suggests strongly that the Raiders won’t go QB at six and in this years draft should not.
2. The Secondary and Offensive Line Can Be Addressed in Free Agency
Secondary
While there are key areas of need especially after the Raiders let go of foundational pieces of the secondary like Nate Hobbs, Robert Spillane and Tre’von Moehrig, the defense is not in a desperate situation and could still be addressed adequately in free agency and/or later rounds of the draft.
To address the void that is left by the aforementioned players defensive coordinator Patrick Graham could plug and play guys like:
- Christian Elliss for Robert Spillane
- Jeremy Chinn for Tre’von Moehrig
(I had Chinn here while writing this piece before he signed with the Raiders; so I leave him here 😉)
Asante Samuel Jr. or Mike Hilton for Nate Hobbs, with the latter option being the solid and top choice although he is on the older side. If the coaching staff likes a riskier option with great room to develop, they could pick up Asante Samuel.
More options are available so a first-round draft pick is not necessary.
Offensive Line
While the current O-line is certainly not elite, it is a serviceable unit. Kolton Miller (LT) and Dylan Parham (G) are solid guys and Jackson Powers-Johnson (G or C) as well as DJ Glaze (RT) are fun to watch developing in the next few years.
It seems like they are a little thin on the guard position but the holes aren’t gaping enough to warrant a high first rounder to grab one. The only pure OG draft prospect that would probably not be a reach could be Tyler Booker although many teams have top O-Line prospect Kelvin Banks Jr. set on OG as well.
So the free agent market and mid-rounds could provide reinforcements. Plus, a strong run game would also help mask any O-line deficiencies by reducing the reliance on pure pass protection.
3. Why the Raiders Should Take Ashton Jeanty at No. 6
The Best Player Available Principle
If the Raiders wanted to follow the traditional franchise-building strategy they should prioritize QB, OT, EDGE, and CB early in the draft. Boy are they set at the EDGE with the foundational high motor extension of Mad Maxx. We addressed QB and talked about OT and CB.
So let’s go for a Kicker in the first round right!? 😁
When no clear prospect at those positions is on the board come draft day teams should consider the most dynamic player on the board.
Chances are at no. 6 that will be Ashton Jeanty. Quick stats 2024: 374 ATT, 2,601 YDS, 7.0 AVG, 29 TD.
This draft class is loaded with RB talent and to be that much better than such a good running back class is just special. The guy had more yards after contact in 2024 than Cam Skattebo had in total— and Skattebo ranked second overall in total yardage.
While those numbers are ridiculous and his contact balance is otherworldly and, and, and…
What really stands out is that, with all due respect to Boise State, Jeanty produced all these numbers in a college program that was far from being in a good spot in recent memory.
So if Jeanty is seen by the Raiders as a Christian McCaffrey or Saquon Barkley-level talent, he absolutely justifies the #6 pick despite positional value concerns.
The Eagles’ Blueprint: How Saquon Barkley Changed the Game
The Eagles’ season and the years before 2024 their Super Bowl win is a prime example of how important a world class runner can be.
The years of struggle to make the final push to win the Lombardi Trophy just showcased how a dominant back can elevate an offense. Barkley’s versatility created opportunites for Jalen Hurts and took pressure off the offensive line.
The Raiders could replicate some of the Eagles’ success with Jeanty, now that they have locked in a reliable QB and relieved themselves from the pressure of finding a franchise QB right away.
Immediate Impact & Offensive Balance
Jeanty should give the Raiders a dynamic rushing attack to keep defenses honest, at once.
He would add and extra layer to the passing game with his great hands out of the backfield and reduces pressure on the pass-blocking unit.
Does the signing of Raheem Mostert make a Jeanty consideration obsolete? No!
They’d actually complement each other really well, Jeanty brings a different dimension. He’s younger, more compact, and a stronger inside runner with elite contact balance. Mostert thrives on speed and outside runs, which could turn them into a magnificent 1-2 punch.
Looking Ahead: The 2026 Draft Class Offers True Franchise QBs
If the Raiders’ back office does not see true franchise QB talent in this year’s class they may be better off strengthening the roster now and targeting an elite quarterback prospect in 2026.
The combination of signing Geno Smith and finding Jeanty in the draft might already be a winning formula for the 2025 season but if it’s not and probably even if it is getting a franchise QB prospect in next years draft may be the better option all-together.
Two names are currently the front-runners for 2026:
- Arch Manning (Texas) – Highly touted since high school, possesses elite pedigree, arm talent, and pocket awareness.
- Nico Iamaleava (Tennessee) – A dynamic, athletic playmaker with a big arm and dual-threat ability, projected to be a top-tier NFL prospect.
If the Raiders build a strong roster now they could be in prime position to get a true game-changing QB in 2026 – roster wise not draft position wise. So rather than forcing a QB selection now, they could use ALL their draft capital wisely and build up the QB supporting cast and get themselves ready to make an aggressive move next year.
4. Addressing the Counterarguments
Positional Value: Why Running Backs Are Devalued
So the argument basically goes like this: Running Backs are easily replaceable and good ones can be found in later rounds. While this might be correct this is true for all the positions since you COULD find good players in later rounds no matter what position they play, just ask one of the minority owners of the Raiders. It is more about the probability of finding golden talent that is elevated in early rounds but that is also true for all positions.
Nitpicking aside, I do understand the gist of the argument and actually think that it is especially true for this years RB-class since it has so many talented backs.
Then, who should the Raiders draft? The answer is easy?
Ashton Jeanty, because generational talents like McCaffrey, Barkley, and to a certain extend Bijan Robinson have proven their value beyond the usual RB expectations.
The Giants’ Mistake with Saquon Barkley – and Why the Raiders Aren’t in the Same Situation
You might be saying: Dennis are you out of your mind?
The Giants picked Saquon at No. 2 2018 and the team still struggled mightily and never got a footing WITH him.
That is absolutely right, BUT the Giants’ situation while seemingly similar was in fact a little different in that their offensive line was really poor. They did not have a good QB in place, however much of Daniel Jones’ struggles were also due to the O-line.
The Raiders’ O-line – as mentioned above – isn’t a disaster and they also have more flexibility to address other needs in free agency. So if Jeanty is as elite as he seems, he could elevate the entire offense rather than being wasted.
Short Shelf Life & Injury Concerns
Here is an argument against Jeanty that actually sticks: Running backs take way more bruising and have shorter career spans. So logic dictates that not having a franchise QB in place and still relying on an O-line that is pretty much a work in progress is not a good place from which an organization should consider drafting short shelf life positions with their most valuable picks.
However, since an organization usually wants to find success in the next 1-3 years depending on the situation the current situation at QB and the O-line can be disregarded because the plan is to find a franchise QB this year or the next. That means the Raiders probably won’t outrun the career span of Jeanty during their rebuild.
Getting a true No. 1 Wide Receiver Should Be Priority
If the current team of personell decisions hold the construct of positional value in higher regard than individual excellence then there is a chance a WR is called upon.
The logical choices here would be Tetairoa McMillan, Emeka Egbuka or Luther Burden III, in that order. However, except for McMillan who has the best chance of being a plug and play WR 1 at day one, there is not much there that would warrant spending such a high draft pick. Trading down and getting draft capital in the process would be a wiser move at this point.
This draft class is pretty deep on wide receivers as well which would render a WR-move at #6 almost automatically a reach except for T-Mac. The Hawaiian will come off the board probably in the top 5 so starting salivating over him would be premature anyway for the Raiders and the fanbase.
Conclusion: A Bold But Justifiable Move With Great Upside Potential
With an apparent lack of franchise QB options, the comfortable situation to be able to address defense and OL in free agency, and the high probability for Jeanty to be a game-changer, the Raiders have a legitimate case for drafting him at #6.
Conventional wisdom dictates that running backs shouldn’t be picked in the top 10 – but when a special player is lurking, exceptions cannot only be made but SHOULD be made.
If the Raiders want to add more dynamic to their offense Ashton Jeanty might be their best bet without trading up, regardless of position.
If it is not gonna be Ashton Jeanty one of the class’s top O-Liners or Tetairoa McMillan would make the most sense.
