The Las Vegas Raiders undeniably upgraded their quarterback situation by trading for Geno Smith in March. But it also felt like a lock they'd follow that up with drafting a quarterback, specifically one who could be a more long-term option. With the No. 215 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the franchise took North Dakota State signal-caller Cam Miller.
Miller started 56 games over five seasons for the Bison, with a 45-11 career record and two FCS national titles. Along with being a prolific passer -- he threw for 81 career touchdown passes and only 19 interceptions -- he was a noted dual threat with 2,277 yards and 48 touchdowns on the ground. In a Raiders' draft class that tilted strongly toward experience in college, Miller stood atop the group with nearly 3,300 collegiate snaps.
That said, with Smith as the starter and Aidan O'Connell likely staying in place at No. 2 on the depth chart, Miller is in line to make the Raiders' 53-man roster as the third quarterback. This means he'll likely be a weekly inactive during the season, so if he plays much as a rookie, things will have gone haywire in Las Vegas.
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Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman recently ranked the best situations for each rookie quarterback to be walking into. 12 different teams selected a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft, and somehow, Miller ranked No. 11. This is only ahead of Graham Mertz with the Houston Texans.
"Miller arrives in Las Vegas with a championship résumé, having won two of the past four FCS national titles at North Dakota State," Wasserman wrote. "He’ll battle for the third-string role behind Geno Smith and Aidan O’Connell. If forced into action, Miller would likely operate in a run-heavy offense built around Ashton Jeanty and the Raiders’ retooled ground game — a scenario that suits him well given NDSU’s top-five run rate in the FCS over the past three seasons."
This is a harsh ranking for Miller and the Raiders, especially considering some of the players who rank ahead of him.
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Miller being low on the Raiders' current depth chart is offered as a detriment in this context because several other rookie signal callers are more likely to start games this year. However, being the No. 3 quarterback is exactly what the Raiders' plan was for Miller as a rookie, and he'll even have the chance to beat out O'Connell for the backup role.
As a sixth-round pick coming from an FCS school, Miller will face a steep learning curve in the NFL. Any team that drafted him would not be planning to start him this year, or probably even have him No. 2 on the depth chart right away.
So, a dismal ranking based on Miller's "situation" with the Raiders is ridiculous. He'll be given a fair chance to compete as a rookie, perhaps more than with any other franchise in the NFL. Smith will not play forever, and O'Connell has proved that he is not a starting-level quarterback. Time may be unkind to this take by Wasserman if Miller blossoms into a starter.