Former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce didn’t mince words about how different the franchise’s quarterback future could look today. As Cleveland Browns rookie Shedeur Sanders prepared for his first NFL start against the Raiders on Sunday, Pierce revealed he intended to draft Sanders if he had remained in charge.
During an appearance on CBS Sports, Pierce said Sanders was “one of our top choices” throughout the pre-draft process and insisted he would never have allowed the former Colorado star to fall to the fifth round.
“When I was with the Raiders, he was one of our top choices,” Pierce said. “If I would’ve stayed there, there’s no way he goes in the fifth round. I’m making the decision that we’re drafting him. Mark Davis was on board. Our organization was on board. We believed in what we saw with Shedeur.”
Pierce Wanted Sanders, Raiders Went Another Direction
Pierce’s comments add a new wrinkle to one of the most polarizing draft slides of 2024, Sanders falling from projected first-rounder to the fifth round. Internally, the Raiders were fractured. After Pierce and GM Tom Telesco were fired following a 4-13 season and a 10-game losing streak, the new regime of Pete Carroll and John Spytek moved aggressively in a different direction.
The Raiders traded for veteran Geno Smith and selected Cam Miller in the sixth round, a stark pivot from Pierce’s stated plan. Minority owner Tom Brady, who has a long-standing personal relationship with Sanders, was also believed to have influenced the front office’s decision to pass on the rookie.
Reports following Pierce’s exit indicated the organization held a third-round grade on Sanders, not a first-round evaluation, but still high enough to justify selecting him before Cleveland ultimately did.
“The Raiders did not have him valued as a first rounder, but they very much did like him,” Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter said. “I believe the Raiders would have pulled the trigger on Shedeur probably in the third round.”
Sanders Shows Glimpse of Potential in First Start
Sanders’ first NFL start came at the Raiders’ expense and ended in a 24-10 Browns win. Filling in for injured starter Dillon Gabriel, Sanders completed 11 of 20 passes for 209 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. It wasn’t flawless, but it was poised, energetic, and more stable than what the Raiders have gotten from Smith, who leads the league in interceptions entering Week 12.
“I was a fifth-round pick, so I got skipped by everybody at least five times,” Sanders said after the win. “I’m just thankful for where I am now.”
The Raiders, meanwhile, continue their search for an answer at quarterback,an issue that has lingered since Derek Carr was benched late in 2022. Smith is Las Vegas’ eighth different starter since that point, and his struggles have only intensified a problem the franchise has repeatedly failed to solve.
Pierce Defends Sanders and His Personality
Pierce also pushed back on criticisms of Sanders’ character and persona, which many believe contributed to his draft-day slide.
“One thing about Shedeur - he’s born for this,” Pierce said. “His pedigree is for moments of this magnitude. You might not like his persona or aura, but Cleveland does. He’s going to bring excitement, energy, and life to an organization that has struggled for so long at quarterback.”
That pedigree, from high school to Jackson State to Colorado, once made Sanders a projected first-round lock. Now, his path toward proving doubters wrong starts in Cleveland—while the Raiders are once again preparing to reset at the position in the offseason.
The franchise will likely have a top draft pick in 2026, positioning them for a chance at prospects such as Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza or Alabama’s Ty Simpson. Pierce believes they missed their shot at one potential answer.
And on Sunday, Shedeur Sanders gave them a firsthand look at what he wanted to build.