After acquiring Geno Smith to be the team's starter this offseason, the plan for the Las Vegas Raiders was clear: find a succession plan for the 34-year-old quarterback.
The free agent market for the position was anything but robust, so many assumed that the Raiders would find a young prospect to develop in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Aidan O'Connell is still on the roster, but he has no direct ties to the current regime in Las Vegas. New general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll are ushering in a new era, and O'Connell may not fit into the picture.
Raiders burn Quinn Ewers with shocking QB selection on Day 3
Las Vegas was linked to Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers throughout the pre-draft process after a handful of solid campaigns for the Longhorns. His college coach, Steve Sarkisian, was also a longtime assistant for Carroll at Southern California, and many felt that he would lean on this connection in the later rounds.
However, the Raiders had several opportunities to select Ewers in the draft, but they opted to go a different direction instead. With the No. 215 pick in the sixth round, they selected North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller.
This decision should serve as a gut punch for Ewers, who spoke on The Rich Eisen Show about how excited he was about the prospect of playing for Las Vegas.
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Miller, however, is a tremendous pick for the Raiders. In his final college game, he brought home another FCS National Championship for North Dakota State, contributing 220 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns against Montana State.
During his senior campaign, he threw for 3,251 yards and 33 touchdowns, and he ran for another 631 yards and 12 touchdowns. Miller is a pure dual-threat player, and while he is on the small side for an NFL quarterback, his production cannot be denied.
While many are still shocked that Ewers did not end up in the Silver and Black, Raider Nation will rally behind this exciting prospect. The battle to be Geno Smith's backup between Miller and O'Connell will be a sight to see during the preseason.