If you’re the New York Jets, there’s no way you seriously roll with Geno Smith as your long-term starting quarterback. Instead, you use your deep reserve of draft capital to sway the Las Vegas Raiders into a blockbuster trade.
The key in all of this is that the Raiders could still walk away with a promising quarterback prospect but also keep rebuilding their roster by infusing it with some top-tier talent thanks to the multiple first-round picks that general manager John Spytek will stockpile.
The Jets made a pragmatic move, acquiring Smith following an underwhelming stint with the Raiders. Still, nobody is mistaking him for the long-term answer at quarterback. He’s a bridge, nothing more. There’s a reason why new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak has sent Smith off twice now, with the Raiders and the Seahawks last year.
The real prize is Fernando Mendoza, and New York has the ammunition to go get him. Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski noted the Jets control four of this year’s top 44 picks, plus two extra first-rounders in 2027. That’s a war chest built for a moment exactly like this one.
Sobleski envisions New York selecting Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese and Clemson cornerback Aveion Terrell with their first two picks, then getting aggressive to land Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson—calling it critical to ensure the acquisition rather than risk another team jumping ahead. However, let’s be real, the Jets are a franchise starving for stability at quarterback; the Raiders’ No. 1 pick represents something rare: a legitimate shot at a generational reset.
Whether either the Jets or Spytek would agree to such a seismic move is anyone’s guess, but let’s say it were to happen; here’s one plausible scenario in terms of the draft class that the Raiders could walk away with.
The Jets really gave it all up for their QB of the future…
- Jets receive: No. 1 pick
- Raiders receive: No. 2 pick, 16th pick, 33rd pick, 103rd pick + ’27 1st, 2nd, and 4th round picks
Round 1, No. 2: Caleb Downs, DB, Ohio State
Caleb Downs isn’t just one of the best prospects in this draft class. He may be the safest. If you’re the Raiders, there’s nothing wrong with “safe.”
A two-time All-American, national champion and 2025 Thorpe Award winner, Downs arrives with credentials that are difficult to argue with. He started every game of his college career across Alabama and Ohio State, bringing a level of experience rare for a three-year player. The football bloodlines, including uncle Dre Bly and brother Josh Downs, reinforce what the tape already shows.
As a strong safety, Downs processes the game at an advanced level. His eyes are disciplined, his instincts sharp and his ability to anticipate route combinations allows him to arrive early and impact plays. He matches physically with tight ends and stays attached against receivers downfield.
Downs is compact but fluid, instinctive but disciplined and accomplished but still ascending.
That combination of floor and ceiling is precisely what first-round selections are built around.
Round 1, No. 16: Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami
Akheem Mesidor has done something no other defensive prospect in this draft class can claim: 35.5 career sacks. That’s not a typo.
Numbers like that don’t happen by accident. Mesidor is a technically advanced pass rusher who keeps offensive tackles guessing with an arsenal of moves he chains together seamlessly. He anticipates the snap, attacks with purpose and doesn’t stop coming. When the College Football Playoff arrived and the lights got brightest, he delivered 5.5 sacks across four games. That’s the kind of player you want in January.
He also lines up everywhere, which gives defensive coordinators real flexibility in how they deploy him. The one knock worth mentioning is age. Mesidor turns 25 this month, which is older than most first-round prospects. But here’s the thing about production at this level and this volume: it tends to speak louder than a birthday.
Mesidor has done the work. The tape proves it.
Round 2, No. 33: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
Ty Simpson looks like a real NFL quarterback. The question is how quickly he can become one for the Raiders.
The good stuff is genuinely good. Simpson drops back smoothly, goes through his reads and delivers accurate throws at all levels of the field. He moves up in the pocket when edge rushers threaten and uses his eyes to move defenders around before pulling the trigger. For a first-year starter, that kind of processing ability is impressive.
But the NFL will test him quickly. Interior pressure throws off his footwork and exposes the fact that he isn’t a mobile quarterback. He also waits too long on certain routes, giving coverage time to recover. When he locks onto a target early, veteran defenders will read his eyes and make him pay.
Simpson is not a finished product. But the bones are good and the tools are real; luckily, the Raiders have a coach now who’ll polish all of that.
Round 2, No. 36: KC Concepcion, Texas A&M, Iowa State
KC Concepcion is the kind of receiver who doesn’t need to blow past you to beat you. He just needs a step, and he’ll take it every time.
Working out of the slot, Concepcion is a technician. His footwork is outstanding, his routes are crisp and he can run just about any pattern an offensive coordinator draws up. He finds soft spots in zone coverage, gets open over the middle and makes life difficult for defensive backs trying to stay attached.
The knocks are straightforward. He doesn’t have elite speed, and his frame isn’t built to absorb punishment from NFL linebackers all season. His blocking also needs work. But here’s the bottom line: Concepcion is a late first-round talent with a skill set that translates immediately to Sundays. He is polished, reliable and ready.
Any team needing a dependable slot receiver should be very excited about this one. Pairing Concepcion and Simpson could feed families under Kubiak.
Round 3, No. 67: Domonique Orange, DL, Iowa State
Domonique Orange excels at one specific skill, and in the NFL, that can be sufficient.
As a nose tackle, Orange is a handful to move off the ball. He’s quick off the snap, tough to block in run situations, and has the strength to hold his ground even when two offensive linemen are coming at him. When he gets hit, he resets and competes. That kind of toughness matters in the trenches.
But here’s the honest truth: Orange is essentially useless as a pass rusher. One sack in four college seasons tells you everything you need to know. He also struggles to shake free from blocks once he’s grabbed, gets out of position chasing plays into the backfield, and isn’t nearly quick enough laterally to cover ground when plays bounce outside.
His tackling also got noticeably worse his final college season—a red flag worth watching. Orange will be a nose tackle who’ll eat up space and protect linebackers against the run. Every Super Bowl roster needs a guy like that.
Just don’t expect him to touch the quarterback. That’s simply not his game.
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images
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