Maxx Crosby may end up having a huge hand in who the Las Vegas Raiders pick at No. 6 in the 2025 NFL Draft

Sometimes in professional sports, your best players will dictate what kind of moves you make. For example, guys like Tom Brady on the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and even Patrick Mahomes on the Kansas City Chiefs, have a say in who a team drafts.

Maxx Crosby could also be in that conversation, depending on who the pick is on Thursday in the 2025 NFL Draft. Yes, I know, it sounds weird, an edge rusher, call the shots? Mind you, he was the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history there for a bit when he got his extension, that is, until the Cleveland Browns pulled the move they did to keep Myles Garrett in town.

Crosby is a Raider, and the most representative of what a Raider is supposed to be, over any player in recent memory. It's easy to imagine Crosby wearing silver and black the rest of his career, and as the defensive captain and likely the captain of the entire team, yes, he will be allowed to voice his opinions.

Now, that doesn't mean the Raiders have to follow what he says, or even that they will listen. But, it's obvious that they value his opinion and how he feels, or the team wouldn't have hired Antonio Pierce last year, and they wouldn't have involved him in the pre-draft process like they have.

The Raiders have also been linked to Jeanty, but the Mason Graham connection could be one to watch at No. 6, too. The Michigan ties run deep with Graham, general manager John Spytek, and minority owner Tom Brady. And Graham's lengthy video call with defensive line coach Rob Leonard featured a special cameo: Maxx Crosby. I talked to teams Sunday and Monday that still think offensive tackle (perhaps Texas' Kelvin Banks Jr. or Missouri's Armand Membou) will ultimately be considerations for Las Vegas, too. - ESPN Insider Staff

Crosby got to talk to Mason Graham, and a thorough conversation at that. That's something that you let your best players, franchise players, do when you're about to draft a guy that's going to be on the same side of the ball as them. And, having Crosby there is important for the pre-draft process because it shows their commitment to having him involved. And, Crosby loves that stuff.

Let's also not forget that he is there to get a feel for the guy, because who knows the defensive line better than Crosby? Not many do, as he's the best edge rusher in the league, who has the freedom to move around on the line as he pleases due to his IQ.