Raiders trade up to get Isaiah Simmons from Clemson
Why?
In my opinion, the best player the Raiders could get in this draft is Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons, and all the odds say that he is not making it to No. 12, where the Raiders have their first of two first round picks. The Raiders have lacked a game-changing linebacker for years, and Simmons is everything the Raiders need.
How the trade makes sense
The Raiders hold the twelveth pick of the draft, which is likely too late to take Simmons. The Chargers, who hold the sixth pick of the draft, are likely looking to draft a QB in the first round. Between picks six and twelve, no team will likely take a quarterback, so the Chargers can move back with no risk while adding a third-round pick.
On the other hand, the Raiders need to get ahead of the Panthers, who have the seventh pick, considering they are likely to take Simmons, especially after seeing All Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly retire this offseason.