Most of the Las Vegas Raiders aren’t thinking about the 2027 NFL Draft with the regular season about to start, but it has to at least be on the back of general manager John Spytek’s mind. This offseason was a good start, but the team still has plenty of needs.
Defensive end Maxx Crosby is still one of the best pass rushers in the NFL, but it remains to be seen how long he’ll stay in Las Vegas. Even if the Raiders did keep him long-term, he still needs help on the defensive line.
Many want to see the team draft a wide receiver or an offensive lineman in the first round of next year’s draft, but defensive line is arguably just as big of a need. In Bleacher Report’s latest 2027 mock draft, Brent Sobleski projected the Raiders to select Texas defensive end Colin Simmons with the No. 6 pick.
“The Las Vegas Raiders were this close to trading Maxx Crosby this offseason,” Sobleski wrote. “With or without Crosby next year, the lineup could still use another pass-rush threat to improve the entire defensive front. Texas’ Colin Simmons is super-productive and difficult to handle working off the edge.
“Scout’s Take: Simmons has special movement skills to work the edges. His hand-usage remains a work-in-progress to generate clean wins more frequently, and he could afford to add some mass to become a better run-defender. Regardless, his quickness and athleticism are special. Also, the 20-year-old has a good motor to be a productive NFL sack artist.”
Simmons Could Be Elite Running May for Crosby
As Bleacher Report noted, Simmons isn’t refined as a run defender yet, but he’s a force as a pass rusher. In just two seasons, he already has 21.0 sacks. Crosby is arguably the best run-defending defensive end in the NFL, so pairing him with a player who can really get after the quarterback could be a serious problem for offenses.
Crosby is often double- or triple-teamed, which would free up Simmons to do some damage. The Raiders have tried hard to find a good running mate for Crosby. Tyree Wilson was a bust, but he wasn’t as productive as Simmons has been. Crosby is also getting older, so Simmons could eventually step into the No. 1 pass rusher role while Crosby doesn’t have to undertake such a massive workload.
Crosby Could Be In for Huge Season
The Raiders almost didn’t have Crosby this season, but they can’t be too sad that the trade with the Baltimore Ravens fell through. The defense would’ve been a lot more concerning without the star pass rusher.
A defensive end duo of Kwity Paye and Malcolm Koonce isn’t very inspiring. Crosby could be in for a huge season. He’s highly motivated after what happened with the Ravens, and he has been unblockable in training camp.
There’s a reason that they were originally willing to part with two first-round picks for the pass rusher. Crosby is eager to remind the rest of the NFL just how good he is when he’s healthy.
Raiders Land Possible Long-Term Maxx Crosby Replacement in New Mock Draft