The Oakland Raiders are coming into the NFL draft this season with a number of options and if two players they like in Jadeveon Clowney and Sammy Watkins are gone in the top 4 picks, Reggie McKenzie could look to make a move with a trade down with someone like the San Francisco 49ers or Miami Dolphins over picking players like Johnny Manziel, Khalil Mack or Blake Bortles.
The Raiders have been an active team in the draft over the past few years and they could look to trade down again after doing it last season with the Miami Dolphins. The top part of the draft was not as strong last year as it is in 2014 and last season McKenzie traded back to the number 12 pick for the number three pick, allowing the Dolphins to take Dion Jordan. The Raiders picked DJ Hayden and while he was the player McKenzie said he wanted all along, Hayden had an up and down season and now the team is likely to get an impact player at number five if they remain in that pick.
The top four picks in the draft this year are very interesting and the Raiders may have some ideas about what they want to do, but that all could fall by the wayside depending on how those picks and teams play out. The Houston Texans hold all the cards and if they opt to pick a quarterback or someone like Jadeveon Clowney, trades could start flying for teams trying to ensure they get the players they want. The Rams at number two are a prime trade partner for teams looking to move up, as they lucked into that spot after trading that pick to the Redskins a couple years ago so they could draft RG3.
The Jaguars are in the mix for a quarterback and they also are an option for both Watkins and Clowney depending on how the first two picks go. The biggest team to watch for the Raiders is the one picking directly in front of them in the Cleveland Browns, as they have similar needs and are open to picking players like Watkins and Clowney. There is a chance that two quarterbacks could go in the first four picks or as few as one, or none and the Browns will be in an interesting position after the first three go. The team has three picks in the first 35 selections and that gives them the flexibility to move up or down and that could be a nightmare for the Raiders.
It appears that the Raiders are content with Matt Schaub right now and they could avoid taking a quarterback with the fifth pick, but they like Blake Bortles and he could be an option if he is available. The worst situation for McKenzie would be to have the number five pick with Bortles, Clowney and Watkins all off the board. The team could look to trade if that happens, or they could pick Manziel, who got high marks from the Raiders after spending a couple days in Oakland before the draft.
The Raiders have some big decisions to make this year.
