The Raiders have been starving at linebacker for quite some time and have tried to patchwork the group together with guys like Tahir Whitehead, Marquel Lee and similar players. Having said that, they need to make a big splash to find a player who can shore up the defense in the middle of the field from both a coverage and run defense aspect. Isaiah Simmons is a potential superstar capable of doing just that.
Simmons has elite athleticism for his size, which makes him the ultimate defensive chess piece in terms of a draft prospect. He can be a true MIKE linebacker, which is likely where the Raiders would use him primarily, but has the ability to line up on the edge, in safety and even in the nickel as a coverage player. He’s a game-changer that could give the Raiders defense a massive jolt.
Two first-round picks from Clemson in this class and the third first-rounder in the past two years’ drafts seems to fit the bill for what Gruden and Mayock want. They love the notion of culture guys who get it and Clemson has produced so many prospects in that mold. After taking Simmons at No. 12, they now look to get Brady an elite weapon to work with in this offense, which is where Tee Higgins comes into the fold.
While Higgins is not an elite route-runner at this stage of his development, his ability as a downfield threat is incredibly enticing. Some might argue that he’s redundant of what Tyrell Williams does but, simply put, he’s an A+ version of Williams with more upside. Thus, if the Raiders want to open up the offense more with Brady coming into the fold, Higgins should be the guy.