The Las Vegas Raiders have been pestered with rumors all offseason. Initially, it seemed like Ben Johnson was destined to become the team's next head coach, but after he chose the Chicago Bears, the Raiders landed on veteran Pete Carroll.
After the coaching staff and front office were finalized, however, the rumors began filtering in about the team's next quarterback. At first, Sam Darnold and Matthew Stafford were both linked to the Silver and Black, but new general manager John Spytek opted for Geno Smith instead.
In the weeks leading up to the NFL Draft, it seemed nearly certain that the Raiders were planning to select Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 pick. However, rumors from the last few days have indicated that Jeanty may not even be available when the team is on the clock.
Raiders reportedly seeking major draft trade under one key circumstance
Rumors, at the end of the day, are mere speculations or hearsay. But some are more reliable than others, and The Athletic's Diana Russini tends to be in the know. On Wednesday morning, she reported that the Raiders could be in line for a major trade on draft day.
"The Jaguars (5) and Raiders (6) have expressed interest in moving up, I’m told, if the player they want is available," wrote Russini.
This report can be taken in one of two ways. The first is that the Raiders are still interested in Jeanty, and they need to move up to prevent the Jaguars from beating them to the punch, or the Bears from leapfrogging them. The other way to interpret this is that Las Vegas has its eyes on a top-flight prospect that they could be willing to mortgage a bit of their future on.
Related: Raiders make massive trade to secure franchise QB in proposed draft deal
Both the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants are reported to be fielding calls for the No. 2 and No. 3 picks, and that is the range where Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter and Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter are set to be selected.
Hunter would be a dream pick for the Raiders, as the team has major needs at both cornerback and wide receiver. Trading away a future pick or two should not be a concern because Hunter is essentially two players in one. Carter does not fill an immediate need for Las Vegas, but he could be a great choice as well becausee the future of the defensive end room is shaky after this season.
While the rumors surrounding the Raiders this offseason have largely proven to be inaccurate, if one of them is bound to be correct, it will be Russini's. Las Vegas can still land a great player if they stay put at No. 6 on Thursday night, but they could make the draft even more exciting if they trade up for a transformational player.