The Las Vegas Raiders weathered the storm in the first round, sticking and picking at No. 6 overall. There, they landed Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, a transformational running back prospect.
General manager John Spytek hinted at the fact that the Raiders could trade back on Day 2, and that idea came to life early in the evening on Friday.
Las Vegas sent the No. 37 and No. 143 draft picks to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for No. 48, No. 98, and No. 135.
Raiders' last-minute trade with Dolphins was fueled by heartbreak
This is a massive haul for moving back just 11 spots. Spytek is already showing signs of being a seasoned veteran in his first year calling the shots, as giving the team an extra pick in the middle rounds is massive for the future of the franchise.
However, the reason for the Raiders' move back was not entirely due to the strategic work of their new general manager. Another team swooped in at the last minute and took their ideal prospect, triggering them to move back, according to Ian Rapoport.
If you wondered what the league thought about Iowa State's Jayden Higgins, two teams -- #Titans and #Raiders -- both traded out after he was picked by the #Texans.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 25, 2025
Higgins was a highly regarded wide receiver from Iowa State, so much so that two different franchises changed their draft plans after the Texans picked him.
Related: John Spytek may have tipped Raiders' NFL Draft plans for the No. 37 pick
Las Vegas desperately needs a wide receiver to supplement Jakobi Meyers and Brock Bowers, and Higgins was seemingly the apple of the Raiders' eye. Unfortunately, he landed with an AFC foe, and the team will have to face off against him over the coming years.
However, with more selections at their disposal, the team has increased flexibility to move up and down the draft board again. They are seemingly targeting a wide receiver at this juncture in the draft, so perhaps Higgins' teammate, Jaylin Noel, will be in the mix.
Regardless of the reasoning for the trade back, it was a good move for a Raiders team that needs to plug multiple holes in their roster. It may hurt if Higgins becomes an NFL star, but it will sting less if Las Vegas can capitalize with their additional picks.