Though Geno Smith is 35, there was some speculation that the Las Vegas Raiders might look at him as their starting quarterback for at least two or three years. Considering how poorly he’s played this season (he’s thrown a league-leading nine interceptions), it’s likely that the team will look into options in the 2026 NFL Draft.
There hasn’t been a single quarterback who has cemented himself as the top player in the class, but there are plenty of intriguing options. With Smith under contract for two more seasons after this year, the Raiders could afford to bet on a raw quarterback who needs some development.
That’s why South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers could be the perfect fit. In Daniel Flick’s latest 2026 mock draft for Sports Illustrated, he projects the Raiders to add Sellers with the No. 6 pick.
“Las Vegas’s big offseason swing for quarterback Geno Smith hasn’t yet paid dividends, as Smith has thrown an NFL-leading nine interceptions,” Flick wrote. “The Raiders owe Smith $18.5 million guaranteed in 2026, but there are no further cap implications should they part ways after this season. Sellers, an uber-talented redshirt sophomore, has endured an up-and-down campaign, but he has the best physical tools of any passer in the prospective quarterback pool. At 6′ 3″ and 240 pounds, Sellers has a strong arm, explosive athleticism and playmaking ability. Perhaps the Raiders will swing for the fences once again.”
Scouts High on Sellers
Sellers’ 2025 season hasn’t gotten off to a dynamic start. He’s not playing poorly, but he’s only thrown four touchdowns in five games. It’d be one thing if he were making more plays with his legs, but he only has one rushing touchdown on the season.
Sellers is clearly going to need a lot of development, but some scouts are very high on him, according to ESPN’s Jordan Reid.
“Multiple scouts told me before the season that Sellers was one of the favorites to be the top QB in the 2026 class,” Reid wrote. “He has a chiseled frame, a powerful arm and dynamic running ability, making him a high-impact dual-threat prospect.”
Sellers has the physical tools, but hasn’t been putting up big numbers. Some scouts think that’s due to the South Carolina offense.
“I like his skill set, but that offense just isn’t helping him grow right now,” an NFC director of scouting told Reid. “If a team with a good offensive playcaller can get their hands on him and be patient, I think he has a tremendous ceiling, but it has to be a long, patient process.”
Is Sellers Right for the Raiders?
Though he hasn’t been running much this season, Sellers has a lot of upside as a dual-threat. He rushed for 674 yards and seven touchdowns last season. It has been a long time since the Raiders had a real dual-threat quarterback.
The two best quarterbacks in the AFC West are Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert. Both are big quarterbacks with huge arms that can run when they need to. Sellers is the type of quarterback who can compete with those two physically. He’ll need some time to develop, but he could be the big-time upside quarterback the Raiders have needed for a long time.
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