Raiders 7-round 2020 Mock Draft: Las Vegas moves up to draft Simmons
By Nick Ellis
The Las Vegas Raiders are going to want to draft Isaiah Simmons in the draft, but how much will they have to give to get him?
The Raiders organization has lacked a true game-changing linebacker for years, and in this draft, they may be able to select one of the best ones in recent memory. Isaiah Simmons of Clemson can play coverage as well as any linebacker in the NFL, and if the Raiders could draft him, he could change their defense.
Last season, the Raiders invested a lot in their offense, bolstering the offensive line, drafting a future All-Pro running back in Josh Jacobs, as well as a sure-handed slot guy in Hunter Renfrow. In the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, outside of Jacobs, they also added Clemson edge rusher Clelin Ferrell and Mississippi State safety Johnathan Abram, who missed nearly his entire rookie season with a shoulder injury.
In the 2020 NFL Draft, they need to continue to stack talent on defense, and Simmons is a guy who could come in and be a difference-maker in year one. This is a team that is a few pieces away from being a perennial playoff contender, and this year’s draft should net them some of the final pieces of the puzzle.
So, with the Raiders first pick likely coming too late to select Simmons, how much will they have to give to move up and take him?