Geno Smith trade: Mel Kiper Jr. explains how deal changes Raiders' draft plans, potential to pick Shedeur Sanders

The Las Vegas Raiders made a trade for a quarterback at the end of last week in acquiring Geno Smith. With that, Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates think that move will definitely impact what they do with the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

On ‘First Draft’ on Monday, Mike Greenberg asked Kiper Jr. and Yates about the impact of the trade for Smith on Vegas’ plans for the sixth overall pick. Yates began by saying he expect the Raiders to turn their attention elsewhere than quarterback now considering Smith can now be their starter in that spot for the foreseeable future with where he is as a veteran and where the franchise believes they are as a team.

“I would actually bypass a quarterback at pick number six now with having Geno Smith on my roster,” Yates said. “By the way, I fully expect Geno Smith and the Raiders to find middle ground on an extension beyond this year because he currently has just one year left on his deal. Now, Geno Smith may be 35 years old but if there is ever such a thing as a quarterback who is 35 with minimal tread on his tires relative to most 35-year-old quarterback, Geno Smith would be it, right? He spent about eight seasons as basically a backup collecting dust, for parts of that as Russell Wilson’s backup because Russ never missed time in Seattle.”

“A reminder? This is almost a weekly reminder at this point – Pete Carroll will be the oldest head coach in the history of the NFL when he is on the sidelines for Week 1 for the (Raiders) this upcoming fall. I believe this team is trying to win sooner rather than later in an AFC West that some would say maybe the better plan would be to try to rebuild because of how talented the other three teams are with a great head coach and quarterback duo,” continued Yates. “I think now Las Vegas is saying we believe we can make a push sooner rather than later. We recently re-upped Maxx Crosby. We now have Geno Smith under center.”

Kiper Jr. agreed with much of Yates’ opinion for Las Vegas. Smith is still at a point in his career where he can be their starter in the coming years. That will affect the upcoming draft, though, especially considering Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders had long been thought as a possibility for the Raiders if he was there at No. 6.

“The bottom line is the Raiders at six can’t be guaranteed in their minds or thinking we’re definitely getting Shedeur Sanders at six. Last year, we thought it was going to be Michael Penix Jr.. He didn’t last that long and they lost out on their quarterback. So here’s Pete Carroll getting a guarantee,” Kiper Jr. said. “35? He’s at 35 in October, Geno will be. 35 is the new 30. So now, all of a sudden, you’ve got a quarterback, as you said, that can probably play another, at a high level, they think, or a solid level…Even with Geno, you’ve got the fourth-best quarterback in the division. So you’ve kind of, you know, gotten it up a little bit. You’re closer, right, You’ve kind of made progress in that area but you’re not ahead of, you know, the three quarterbacks.”

“For me, it’s about, now, figuring out, at six, if Shedeur is there…Myself? Knowing if Pete Carroll is Geno Smith all the way? I’m a Shedeur guy. I would look at Shedeur but this is Pete Carroll saying, Geno, you’re our guy for now and moving forward at age 35 in October,” Kiper Jr. said.

With a new quarterback now, Las Vegas has a month and a half to decide what they want to do with their first-round pick in the top-ten. Neither Kiper Jr. or Yates are thinking it’ll necessarily be a quarterback now, though, because of the acquisition of Smith, even if it meant passing up on Sanders.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if Las Vegas is thinking whatever gives us the best chance to win in 2025 is our primary focus at pick number six,” said Yates.

“I don’t know what they’re going to do. If Shedeur is there, and there’s no guarantee he will be? That’s going to be really interesting,” Kiper Jr. said. “For me, I’ve got to believe – I’m kind of with you, Field. Even though I’m a Shedeur guy, I would kind of feel right now they would go away from Shedeur.”