Ex-Raiders GM labels Tyler Shough “a really good football player” ahead of 2025 NFL Draft

Former Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough has made a name for himself since participating in the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. NFL scouts, coaches and general managers have opened their eyes to the possibility of drafting Shough, a quarterback who was nearly unknown just a month ago.

Former Raiders general manager Mike Mayock was a guest on "The Rich Eisen Show" this weekend and expressed how impressed he has been with Shough. He said the 25-year-old's NFL Combine performance encouraged him to watch film from his collegiate career. He discovered just how versatile and talented of a quarterback Shough is.

“I was down at the Senior Bowl and knew very little about him other than his background," Mayock said (0:46). "I hadn't done any tape and I'm like ‘Who's this kid from Louisville, slinging it around, very energetic, very confident.”

"At the Combine, we talked about how energetic he was, outgoing, it forced me to go watch some more tape of him. I watched Notre Dame, I watched Boston College, you know, at this point Rich, I kind of agree with everything he told you, he's already been through the mill, he's had all the injuries, he's had to deal with all the different offenses, all the different coordinators, it does sound like a young quarterback in the NFL.

"So, Rich, I would tell you, right now on my quarterback list, he's number four and he wasn't there a couple of months ago. He's an impressive young man and a really good football player.”

Mike Mayock went as far as to say that he now sees Tyler Shough as one of the top quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft class.

Tyler Shough 'fastest rising' QB in Draft

Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward are expected to be the first two quarterbacks drafted in the 2025 NFL Draft. Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart has also been mentioned as a late first-round, early second-round draft selection. Tyler Shough has now entered himself into the conversation.

Shough showed at the NFL Scouting Combine that he can make plays with his arm and his legs. NFL reporter Jordan Schultz shared on X earlier this week that Shough is the "fastest-rising" prospect in the entire draft. This could possibly catapult him from a late-round draft selection to a first or second-round pick.

"Louisville QB Tyler Shough—one of the fastest-rising prospects in the draft—has 10 pre-draft visits and four private workouts lined up with key decision-makers, including GMs, head coaches, and offensive coordinators, sources said," Schultz wrote on X

Shough is scheduled to make official visits with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns and Seattle Seahawks in the coming days.