Chip Kelly, like a true Vegas poker player, keeps cards hidden with Raiders

Posted by author February 20, 2025 NFL

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NFL draft variance shows the experts aren’t sure of what Chip Kelly wants with the Raiders

Matt Zemek
| UCLA Wire

Las Vegas is a city where keeping your cards hidden is a central virtue. Don’t give anyone a tell. Don’t tip your hand. Don’t let opponents get a read on you. Maintaining a poker face is important. It’s part of the art of winning and playing the odds. It’s the Vegas way of life. Chip Kelly, the new offensive coordinator of the Las Vegas Raiders, is clearly not giving anything away before the 2025 NFL draft.

How can we say this with confidence? Simple: The NFL draft experts who are cranking out mock predictions are all over the map in terms of their draft forecasts. There is no clear-cut consensus on which players will be drafted in specific spots.

Raiders Wire is linking to all sorts of mock drafts. One has the Raiders taking Shedeur Sanders at No. 6. Another mock, via Giants Wire, has Sanders going at No. 3 to the New York Giants, with the Raiders passing on Cam Ward at No. 6 and not taking a quarterback even though one of the top two on the board would be available at No. 6.

If some draft analysts are convinced the Raiders won’t even draft a quarterback with their No. 6 pick, that obviously means there’s a lot of disagreement and uncertainty in the NFL draft community of experts on what the Raiders will do. One can reasonably say the insiders aren’t sure what Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly are thinking.

The cards are being hidden. Vegas, baby.