The Geno Smith experiment isn’t off to a good start for the Las Vegas Raiders. The quarterback leads the NFL with seven interceptions in just four games. Even if Smith was playing better, he’s turning 35 soon and can’t be considered a long-term option.
There was talk about the Raiders drafting a quarterback this year, but they decided against adding one until later in the draft. The team could decide to take one early next year, but if Smith can start playing well, they can be more patient.
The 2027 class could have some very intriguing options. One player who has been making waves in college football is Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr. The redshirt freshman just threw for 354 yards and four touchdowns against Arkansas in just his fourth-ever start. He has nine touchdowns and two interceptions to start his college football career.
It’s far too early to know if Carr will be a high-end quarterback prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft, but Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal pointed out that the young quarterback has a unique connection to the Raiders.
He is the grandson of legendary former Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr. Who are two players that Carr coached at Michigan? Raiders minority owner Tom Brady and general manager John Spytek.
Can Carr Be An NFL Starter?
At 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, Carr definitely has NFL size. He also has a big arm. He hasn’t made too many plays with his legs, which is something he’ll need to start doing if he’s going to be highly drafted.
It’s still too early to know for sure if he’ll have what it takes to be an NFL quarterback. The fact that he’s Lloyd Carr’s grandson likely means he’s been around football his whole life. It’s hard to imagine Brady or Spytek would want the Raiders to draft him just because of his last name, but he could be a player to keep an eye on.
Plus, it would be ironic to have another Raiders starting quarterback with the last name Carr, who has no relation to Derek Carr.
Smith Know He Needs to Be Better
Smith playing more like a top-15 quarterback again would be a big help to the Raiders. It would allow them to be more patient with finding a long-term option. As of now, there aren’t any obvious star quarterbacks who are expected to be in the 2026 NFL Draft class.
Smith threw three interceptions in the recent loss to the Chicago Bears, and he knows he let his teammates down.
“I owe it to my teammates to go out there and play better,” Smith told reporters Sunday. “I felt like we had a great week of practice. I felt like the process was there. I was feeling good about what I was seeing, the game plan was great. Guys fought their tails off. Guys deserved to get this win and I let those guys down.
“It was a lot of things I’m going to have to fix within myself. That’s the reality. I’m not going to sugarcoat it, I’ve got to be a lot better.”
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