2024 ended on a disastrous note for the LV Raiders. The 4-13 finish shocked the owner, Mark Davis, and star performer DE Maxx Crosby. But a couple of things changed ahead of 2025. They got the GOAT Tom Brady as their co-owner. And Davis was more than relieved to hand over the responsibility. Brady brought in a new GM, John Spytek, and an experienced head coach, Pete Carroll. Together, they set out to bring in the best results, starting with the draft. And they made great strides.
They signed the ace Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty in the first round (6th overall), two quarterbacks, Montana State’s QB Tommy Mellott in the 6th round (213rd overall), and North Dakota State QB Cam Miller in the 6th round (215th overall). Both QBs were acquired on compensatory picks. Overall, they have a well-rounded lineup now.
Speaking about their draft rounds on an April 30 episode of The Rush podcast, Maxx Crosby appeared confident. He also revealed his feelings, saying, “I think from where we are today, I have to give our front office a ton of credit. So many people were involved in the draft process, but I feel like this is exactly what our team is going to be — it’s our identity. There was a clear game plan, and it was executed. You could tell everyone was happy, confident, and we got the type of guys we wanted — not just in terms of measurables, but also in mindset. Guys who love football.”
Last year, the Raiders lost 6 games with a score difference of 6 points or fewer. Not only the defense, but even the offense looked toothless. They failed to score more than 26 points in any game. The Raiders went ahead with Gardner Minshew as their QB1, who lost 7 of 9 games started, while Aidan O’Connell lost 5 of 7 games as the starter. Their QB picks are a beacon of hope for the future, behind Geno Smith – acquired from the Seahawks. While Miller has a 45-11 win-loss record in 56 games, Mellott also boasts an impressive 33-8 win-loss record in 41 games.
Maxx Crosby acknowledged the influence of different people on their draft picks and added, “There’s just so many different spurts and like different influences. You can just see from Pete Carroll to (John) Spytek to Tom Brady to Mark Davis. There’s like all that combined in one.” While the Silver and the Black surprised everyone with different choices, their first-round pick was the most impactful one.
Maxx Crosby manifested the Raiders’ top draft pick
While sharing roles as brand ambassadors for SAXX Underwear, the Raiders DE got to know Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty very well. He kind of liked him and wanted him to join his franchise. But the rumor mills strongly suggested that the Jaguars were going to steal him. Despite all this, he couldn’t stop himself from sending an emotionally charged message.
Before the draft, Maxx Crosby texted the All-American athlete, “I didn’t know we were going to draft him. I knew we wanted him. You know how I am—I try to manifest everything. So, I just shot him a text. Shout out SAXX Underwear. We have the same marketing team. I’ve known Jeanty for some months now.” It was cemented when the Jaguars changed their mind at the last minute, historically traded up to the second position, and signed Heisman winner WR/CB Travis Hunter.
Whatever his feelings may be, the Heisman runner-up is happy with his current team. He also acknowledged the DE’s message and replied, “He did͏ text me last night and sai͏d, ‘Re͏a͏dy to go͏ to wa͏r with you,’ ͏an͏d͏ ͏I replied, ‘Sho͏ot͏, ͏I’m ready to go͏ to war with you͏, too. Once͏ he ͏texted͏ me, I͏ felt͏ li͏ke, ‘Man, it’s real͏ly happening—I’m going to the Raide͏rs.͏‘”
It’ll be interesting to see how Brady’s bunch fares on the gridiron. The AFC West is shaping up to be one of the hottest divisions of 2025.
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