Over the last several days, there has been one common theme in mock drafts; nobody has any idea where Clemson linebacker/safety Isaiah Simmons will land. While nearly everyone acknowledges that Simmons is one of the best players in the draft, there aren’t a ton of destinations that make sense for him inside the top-10 picks.
It’s also apparent that there is going to be a big run of offensive tackles early in the draft as there could be as many as four selected inside of the top-11 picks. That could push a player like Simmons further down the board than many expect.
If Simmons were to fall down to pick No. 12, would the Raiders take him over the likes of CeeDee Lamb or Jerry Jeudy? Linebacker isn’t the biggest need for the Raiders, especially after signing veterans Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski in free agency earlier this year. But Simmons is a rare player who would bring much-needed speed and athleticism to the defense.
If this scenario were to play out, the Raiders could take Simmons at No. 12 and then hope a top-flight receiver falls to them at No. 19. Or, the Raiders could be aggressive and try to move up for Lamb or Jeudy, packing a few of their mid-round picks together.
Either way, Simmons falling to the No. 12 pick is becoming more and more likely as players like CJ Henderson, Andrew Thomas and maybe even Henry Ruggs III are shooting up draft boards. It will be fascinating to see what the Raiders would do if the All-American linebacker from Clemson were to be available for them in the first round.
