The Raiders finished up the 2019 season a few ago, and free agency is still a few months away, but there is a consensus emerging as to who the team will select with the No. 12 pick in April’s draft.
The Raiders have two massive needs entering the 2020 offseason; a true No. 1 receiver and an athletic linebacker who can make plays in space. With two first-round picks, the Raiders should be able to address both of these needs.
However, the order in which the team drafts these two positions is essential. While wide receiver might be the bigger need for the Raiders, it’s a position with incredible depth in the 2020 draft. The same can’t be said for the linebacker position, which may only have one or two first-round picks by the time the draft ends.
That’s why we are starting to see Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons as the consensus pick for the Raiders at No. 12. He is everything Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden want in a prospect; big-time production, athleticism, and play-making skills while on a championship program. He was recently mocked to the Raiders by Luke Easterling of the Draft Wire:
This is a tough choice for the Raiders, who could use an explosive pass-catcher like Henry Ruggs III here, as well. This year’s receiver class is much deeper than the linebacker group, though, and Simmons’ rare combination of athleticism and versatility would make him a steal outside the top 10.
If the Raiders were fortunate enough to select Simmons, he would be a plug-and-play starter in Paul Guenther’s defense. That would allow the Raiders to spend the No. 19 pick on a wide receiver, and there likely will be several intriguing prospects available at that stage of the draft.
While we are still over three months away from the Raiders being on the clock, Simmons has to be considered the odds-on favorite to be the pick at No. 12.
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