The Las Vegas Raiders didn’t make waves at quarterback early in the 2025 NFL Draft — but that doesn’t mean they were passive. One of the team’s more intriguing decisions came in the sixth round, when they selected North Dakota State’s Cam Miller.
On the surface, Miller didn’t carry the buzz of a top prospect. But behind the scenes, his tape — and his upside — caught the attention of someone with a pretty good eye for quarterback play: Tom Brady. Everybody knows by now that Brady was once where Miller was — a quarterback not on most teams’ radar and a sixth-round draft selection.
Tom Brady’s Input on Cam Miller Proved Invaluable for Las Vegas Raiders
Brady, a minority owner in Las Vegas, isn’t just lending his name to the franchise. General manager John Spytek said the seven-time Super Bowl champion has been deeply involved in the team’s quarterback evaluations. And when it came to Miller, the Raiders’ front office leaned on Brady’s insight as a player and a meticulous evaluator of the position.
Spytek, who played with Brady at Michigan and worked with him in Tampa Bay, understands the value of tapping into that football brain. “When we are looking at quarterbacks, we’d have to be fools not to involve him,” Spytek told The Athletic’s Dan Pompei. “Tom is the foremost expert on quarterback play I’ve ever been around.”
Brady wasn’t in the Raiders’ war room during the draft but was in constant contact with Spytek and the coaching staff. As Pompei wrote, Brady is keenly aware of how his physical presence changes the dynamics of a room and contributes primarily on a remote basis. According to Pompei, he came to Las Vegas for a few days when the Raiders were vetting quarterbacks.
Brady and Spytek met with coaches to discuss college QB prospects at length, so when Miller’s name came up on Day 3, Brady didn’t hesitate to approve. “He liked the way he threw it, his technique, throwing from the ground up and his motion,” Spytek said. “And he thought he had the potential to improve.”
That emphasis on mechanics and projection was consistent with what Brady prioritized earlier in the offseason, when he spent time evaluating veteran and college quarterback options in Las Vegas. It also reflects his growing influence in the organization, even as a minority owner. Brady isn’t just there for show, and he’s far from your typical minority owner. Then again, there’s nothing typical about Brady. He’s looped in on personnel decisions and respected as a voice with decades of experience and elite football IQ.
Of course, the Raiders’ coaching staff also had its say. Head coach Pete Carroll, who had previously coached Geno Smith in Seattle, played a significant role in acquiring his former quarterback this offseason. But even there, Brady was consulted. “He really respected Geno — the way he can process and throw the football,” Spytek noted.
As for Miller, his résumé speaks to the player Brady tends to gravitate toward: Smart, polished, and a winner. The Iowa native helped lead North Dakota State to a pair of FCS national titles. He set the program record for most completions and passing yards in a single season, passing Carson Wentz’s record in 2014. He’s not flashy, but there’s enough polish to suggest he could carve out a role in time — especially with Brady watching from the owner’s suite.
Whether Miller pans out remains to be seen — he’s fourth on the Raiders’ depth chart behind Smith, Aidan O’Connell and Carter Bradley. But the Raiders are building with a unique advantage: A front-office pipeline to the G.O.A.T.