Las Vegas Raiders trade up to select Clemson offensive guard John Simpson

The Las Vegas Raiders have put a true emphasis on stockpiling offensive talent through the draft and they did so once again when the fourth round kicked off.

The Las Vegas Raiders traded picks 121 and 172 to the Detroit Lions in order to move up to pick 109, where they continue to add players from  the Clemson Tigers. At pick No. 109, the Raiders selected Tigers offensive guard John Simpson, who we rated as one of our top-5 targets for Day 3 earlier in the day.

Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock continue on par with their approach of adding players who come out of respectable power-five programs such as the Clemson Tigers. Simpson is now the fifth player over the last two drafts that have been drafted by the Raiders, and including undrafted free agents, the eighth that appeared in the Clemson-Alabama national title game a few years back.

The Raiders have recently dangled Gabe Jackson out on the trade market, mainly due to his sizable contract after sustaining injuries in recent years. The addition of Simpson would suggest that the Raiders could replace Jackson with a young, intriguing guard moving forward and get a late-round pick in return for the aging veteran.

Simpson played both guard positions in 2017 before eventually earning a starting role. His efforts helped Clemson post a 29-1 record while being a full-time starter for two seasons. He accumulated 2,043 snaps and 29 starts during his collegiate career.

With the trade with the Lions, the Raiders now only hold one more pick on Day 3, and that will come at pick No. 139. If they stay there, they will have addressed the needs they had entering the NFL Draft, bringing in seven players who will not only make the team, but be big-time contributors as they head to Sin City.