Raiders Strengthen Defensive Line in Mock Draft 

The 2026 season is here, which means it is time for the Raiders to start looking ahead to the 2027 draft. With a roster full of holes, selecting a player at a premium position like defensive end would be wise. 

Athlon Sports’ Luke Easterling put together a mock draft for 2027 and has the Raiders taking Texas defensive end Colin Simmons with the sixth-overall pick. 

Simmons had 12 sacks to lead the SEC last season. As a freshman, he posted nine sacks, giving him 21 in 30 career games. That production in a power conference will certainly make Simmons an appealing draft candidate. 

Easterling views Simmons as having a chance to work under Maxx Crosby. 

“Thanks to an offseason trade that never was, the Raiders still have one of the league’s best veteran edge rushers in Maxx Crosby, but that shouldn’t keep them from investing in the future of such an important position,” Easterling wrote. “Simmons is a complete player who can win with both speed and power off the edge, and he knows how to use his hands effectively to keep blockers from getting into his pads. Giving him the chance to learn from Crosby in Vegas would ensure he makes the most of his physical tools.”

If the Raiders are selecting an edge rusher in the first round, it might be because Crosby is no longer around. 

Las Vegas tried to trade Crosby to Baltimore in the offseason. The Ravens backed out of the deal before it became official. Despite Crosby’s return to Las Vegas, a trade could still happen. 

If the Raiders are out of the playoff picture when the trade deadline rolls around, moving Crosby would make sense. Landing more draft capital for the rebuild would make the rebuild smoother. 

Planning For The Future

A Crosby trade would create an obvious need at edge rusher. But even if the Raiders held onto their best defensive player, investing at defensive end would be smart.

Crosby will be 30 years old when the 2027 season kicks off. The Raiders’ other starting edge rusher is Kwity Paye, who will turn 28 this season. Neither player really fits the Raiders’ rebuilding timeline. 

Adding Simmons would give the Raiders a chance to solidify the position for years to come. 

Keyron Crawford

The Raiders did use a third-round pick on Keyron Crawford out of Auburn in the 2026 draft. However, Crawford tore his Achilles in the final preseason game and will miss the entire season. 

Las Vegas won’t be able to evaluate Crawford to get an understanding if he could be a reliable starter in the NFL. That lack of knowledge could lead to an over-investment in one position, something the Raiders have done at tight end and running back in the last few drafts.

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