Raiders 2025 NFL Mock Draft: 3 shocking picks & a star QB
Raiders 2025 NFL Mock Draft Will Howard
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The Las Vegas Raiders are charging into 2025 with a clean slate and a new leadership quartet. , the Tampa Bay talent guru, has come in as GM paired with legendary head coach offensive coordinator, and the return of defensive coordinator . From Spytek’s knack for finding gems, Carroll’s defensive mastery, Kelly’s offensive ingenuity, and Graham’s steady hand, a new dawn is rising in Sin City.
With the No. 6 pick and a full seven-round arsenal in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Raiders are ready to address their most significant needs—starting with quarterback—while building a roster that embodies their new vision. Here’s a complete mock draft explaining each pick, its reasoning, and an alternate if the top choice doesn’t work out.
Note: for Amik Robertson , who signed with the Detroit Lions after 2024 season. Those are awarded in March, prior to the 2025 NFL Draft. I am not including those here as we don’t know at the time of publishing this how accurate that is.
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Raiders Round 1, Pick 6: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Raiders 2025 Mock Draft First Round
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Reasoning: Pete Carroll built winners with a dominant run game (think Marshawn Lynch), and Chip Kelly’s offenses hum with versatile backs. The Raiders’ 2024 ground attack was the NFL’s worst (79.8 yards per game), and is the fix. Boise State’s star racked up over 2,000 rushing yards and 40+ catches in 2024, blending power, speed, and receiving chops that scream Kelly’s spread-option dream. Spytek’s Bucs drafts favored offensive weapons early (e.g., Tristan Wirfs), and Jeanty, alongside , could redefine this offense’s identity. With the three top QBs gone before their pick, the Raiders improve their offense with the best back in the draft.
Alternate: If Jeanty’s gone—maybe to the Titans or Jets—Mason Graham, DT, Michigan, is the pick, despite needs at CB and DL. Graham’s a disruptive force up front, pairing with to anchor a defense Carroll and Graham will lean on.
Round 2, Pick 38: Will Howard, QB, Ohio State
Raiders 2025 NFL Draft Will Howard
Credit: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Reasoning: The Raiders’ quarterback carousel stops here with Will Howard, a 6’4″, 237-pound dual-threat dynamo from Ohio State. I say his 2024 season was a breakout – he’s Josh Allen-lite in terms of his size, arm strength, and sneaky mobility (over 500 rushing yards). Chip Kelly’s system (one he flourished in on the way to the National Championship) loves QBs who can run RPOs and extend plays, a la Marcus Mariota at Oregon, and Howard’s physicality fits Carroll’s gritty ethos. Spytek’s Bucs took swings on developmental QBs like Kyle Trask and Howard could sit behind a veteran ( ) while adapting to Kelly’s changes to his NFL playbook. This pick addresses the team’s most significant need with a high-ceiling prospect.
Alternate: If Howard’s gone, Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon, is the pick. Gabriel’s a 6’0”, 200-pound maestro with pinpoint accuracy and sneaky wheels, a Kelly favorite from his Pac-12 days. His experience (over 15,000 career passing yards) offers a quicker path to starting. Pick No. 38 might be a bit high for Gabriel, depending on how he does at the Combine. Still, he could be on the Raiders radar.
Round 3, Pick 70 (via NYJ): Kevin Winston Jr., S, Penn State
Reasoning: Pete Carroll’s defensive legacy hinges on standout safeties, and Kevin Winston Jr. fits the bill. At 6’2”, 206 pounds, Winston is a hard-hitting, instinctive defender with the range to patrol deep and the toughness to mix it up in the box—ideal for Patrick Graham’s multi-look schemes. With free agency on the horizon and his future with the Raiders unknown, the secondary needs a boost, and Winston’s 2023 Penn State tape shows tackling prowess and ball skills that echo Carroll’s Earl Thomas mold. Spytek’s Bucs drafts targeted defensive backs with upside (e.g., Antoine Winfield Jr.), and Winston’s a realistic Round 3 value who could start early. Winston did miss all but two weeks of the 2024 season with a knee injury, but he’s on track to be ready for mini-camp. Before the injury, he was a consensus Top 45 pick.