“No possible way he can overcome Patrick Mahomes” - Former NFL scout gives reality check to Raiders amid Shedeur Sanders pursuit

According to a former NFL scout, drafting Shedeur Sanders would guarantee the Las Vegas Raiders' stay in the AFC West basement. According to his website, firstroundmock.com, Daniel Kelly previously scouted for the New York Jets and attended six NFL scouting combines.

In a division that features the three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes, along with the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos, Kelly believes the Raiders’ standing won’t change if Sanders is their guy.

"If the Raiders took Shedeur Sanders in the first round - it would be a guaranteed last-place finish in the AFC West for as long as he’s under center," Kelly posted on X on Sunday.

That division also includes two teams that made the playoffs last season: Justin Herbert and the Chargers and Bo Nix with the Broncos. For Kelly, the son of NFL legend Deion Sanders simply can’t compete with the elite quarterbacks of that division.

"There is no possible way he can overcome Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, and Bo Nix in that division with the skillset that he has shown at Jackson State and Colorado."

Shedeur Sanders would have plenty of help in Vegas

There’s no denying that if Shedeur Sanders were the Raiders’ first pick in April’s draft at #6, he would face some stiff challenges in an AFC West that is arguably as competitive as any division in the NFL.

That said, he would be surrounded by people who know what he’d be going through and with a reputation for success, which may prove invaluable.

Firstly, Raiders minority owner Tom Brady, who played under the pressure of needing to be great for years, constantly played in the biggest spots, starting in a record 10 Super Bowls and winning seven.

Sanders will likely go much higher than Brady did (199th), and unlike the widely regarded G.O.A.T., he’ll probably be a starter right away. However, Brady knows the game inside and out and is still up to date on how the game has evolved as an analyst, so if Sanders lands in Vegas, that’d be a huge help to him.

The former Colorado QB would also have the years of expertise of Pete Carroll as his head coach, a man who developed many great quarterbacks in the NFL and college at USC. Russell Wilson’s best years were under Carroll in Seattle where together they made it to two Super Bowls, winning one. Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart won Heisman trophies when Carroll was their coach and Mark Sanchez took USC to a Rose Bowl.

Professionally, when Wilson left Seattle, Carroll took Geno Smith under his wing and kept Seattle successful and in the playoffs despite the change.

Lastly, Shedeur has his father, Deion Sanders, a first-round draft pick and arguably the greatest cornerback in NFL history. He knows what his son will be going through and the pressure he’ll be under. Having coached him at Colorado, he’d know a lot about what buttons to push to get Shedeur going.

If Shedeur Sanders goes to the Raiders, it won’t be easy for him, but he’d have an entourage that most could only dream of.