Everyone knows who the Raiders are preparing to take with the no. 1 pick in the draft, and the big mystery to John Spytek’s second draft as GM in Las Vegas won’t come until the second round.
The Raiders have a lot of holes to fill in this month’s draft, and for better or worse that gives them some flexibility in the second round of the draft.
Maxx Crosby won’t be in the draft room when the Raiders are on the clock, but he offered the player last week that he sees as one of the most underrated players in this year’s draft.
“This is my guy I’m going with and I’m going pure off not opinion and all this other sh–. I’m going off straight film and what I’ve seen,” Crosby said on The Rush.
“It’s [Akheem] Mesidor from Miami. Defensive end. He’s going to be up there. He’s going to be a pretty high draft pick for sure. And Rueben Bain, respectfully, he’s gotten all the praise. He deserves all the praise because he’s an absolute dog. It has nothing to do with that. But we come on the show, we give people their flowers when they deserve it and some guys that go a little bit under the radar. I feel like Mesidor, just watching some of his tape, his bend is crazy. The way he’s able to get around the edge, the way he’s able to get off the ball, he’s freaky.”
“He’s got some traits that you can’t coach,” Crosby continued. “I think a guy like him could come in and play right away because he’s 25 years old, which is like, some teams might look at as a bad thing. But also if you need a guy right now to come in and play, I feel like a guy like him, like he’s already developed, he’s a grown *** man. He could come in and definitely make some noise early on. I’ve been watching him from afar and I like watching both those Miami guys get after it. They’re legit.
“But Mesidor, he’s very underrated to me. And I think he’s one of the best, if not the best just pure pass rush prospect in this draft… I think he’s going to be really good.”
The interesting detail to Crosby mentioning Mesidor is that the former University of Miami edge rusher is projected to be within reach of the Raiders in the second round.
ESPN’s Matt Miller has Mesidor being drafted at the end of the first round in his latest mock draft, but CBS Sports analyst Mike Renner has Mesidor going one pick ahead of the Raiders in the second round to the Tennessee Titans.
With many expecting Crosby to be with the Raiders in 2026, an edge rusher might not be as high a priority for Spytek and the decision makers in Las Vegas, but it’s worth keeping in mind that the Raiders showed their hand a little by “trading” Crosby last month. At the very least, the Raiders aren’t married to the idea of building around Crosby and it’s no secret that the contract extension he signed a year ago was designed to be traded.
No one (among Raider fans, at least) wants to talk about Crosby being traded again, but there’s a good chance he won’t be on the roster a year from now.
If the Raiders are open to trading Crosby again, and it would be naive to assume they aren’t, the edge rusher position ought to be high priority for the organization even while their star pass rusher is still on the roster.
If Crosby hangs around Las Vegas for a few more years, the Raiders still need another capable pass rusher… and who better to recognize the next great pass rusher in the league than one of the best at doing the job now?
x: @raidersbeat
Best player available…at a position of need.
1. FERNANDO MENDOZA
36. MAX IHEANACHOR
67. DANI DENNIS-SUTTON
102. ANTONIO WILLIAMS
117. NICHOLAS SINGLETON
134. ZANE DURANT
175. TACARIO DAVIS
185. RED MURDOCK
208. BISHOP FITZGERALD
219. ERIC GENTRY
Don’t think you know raiders fans. If the asking price is the same and it’s met I’d trade him before the ink was dry.
You just can’t have a conversation about Crosby without talking about being traded. STFU! This is about his thoughts on a potential DE from Miami.
Looks like someone doesn’t have a clue how it ties into that exact storyline.
Just don’t read it if it hurts you when you sit down.