Oakland Raiders: Trading down for Kolton Miller was genius
The Oakland Raiders decided to trade down to select their offensive tackle of the future. This move was a fantastic decision on the part of the team’s front office. Here is a breakdown as to why this is the case, along with an instant reaction to the team trading for Martavis Bryant.
The Oakland Raiders made moves in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. The team made the decision to trade down from their tenth overall pick in the draft, to the 15th pick.
Many expected the team to take whichever linebacker was left between Roquan Smith and Tremaine Edmunds. This of course did not end up being the case, as the team elected to go with offensive tackle from UCLA, Kolton Miller.
While Tremaine Edmunds may have been a better pick for the team, it was not a mistake on the part of the Oakland Raiders to take Miller — but it would have been a massive mistake had they taken him with the tenth overall pick.
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By trading down and acquiring two extra draft picks, a third and a fifth rounder, the team managed to select the player they wanted most without having to over draft him. If the team was in love with Miller and had their eyes set on him, trading down and acquiring these assets was the right move to make.
The team clearly likes Miller for a reason, meaning they know something we do not.
Well things just got interesting. As this was in the midst of being written, the team just traded the third round pick they received from trading down for Steelers’ wide receiver, Martavis Bryant.
This move makes the decision to trade down even more genius than it was before. The team has a need at wide receiver, leading many to speculate they would draft one later in the draft. Well now that will not be necessary.
The team managed to select their offensive tackle of the future to protect Derek Carr while simultaneously adding another top tier weapon for Carr to throw too. A receiving core of Amari Cooper, Jordy Nelson and Bryant is something to be feared.
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Couple this with the decision to add Miller to a line with four other great starters, and the offense looks like it will return to its 2016 form this upcoming season.
While some may not be a fan of the pick, it was a decision that will end up being the best move for the team’s chances of success in 2018.