Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
According to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, the interest in the Oakland Raiders’ No. 3 overall pick in tonight’s 2013 NFL Draft is “red hot.” If GM Reggie McKenzie knows what’s best for him and his team, he’ll take the best offer on the table and run with it.
The Raiders, who currently boast the least-talented roster in the NFL, need to make the most of every single pick available to them during the draft. While the Raiders are expected to take Florida defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd if they stay parked at No. 3, Oakland should instead make a trade to move down while stockpiling more picks.
There are several teams, including the Detroit Lions (No. 5), Cleveland Browns (No. 6), San Diego Chargers (No. 11) and Miami Dolphins (No. 12), who are looking to move up in order to land one of the 2013 class’ elite talents. The Lions are hoping that one of the top two left tackles fall, while the Browns appear to be targeting a pass-rusher such as Ezekiel Ansah or Dion Jordan. The Chargers and Dolphins want to move up in hopes of snagging a left tackle as well.
At this point, the Raiders need to add as much talent to the roster as possible if McKenzie hopes to keep his job past 2014. Instead of taking a risk on a player like Floyd at No. 3, moving down and adding more weapons to maneuver with seems logical for a team that can’t afford to draft a bust.
The latest buzz is that the Raiders are targeting Houston cornerback D.J. Hayden in the first round. Taking the talented cover man would be a reasonable move further down the draft, especially around the teens. Hence, moving down seems like the right move for McKenzie and Co.
As always, there’s sure to be plenty of movement once the first round kicks off tonight. The Raiders are one of the most likely Top 10 teams to move down, especially with no second-round pick at this moment.
We’ll see where this goes as the draft draws closer.
Gil Alcaraz IV is a Content Planner/NFL Featured Columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @GilAlcarazIV, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
