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The 2025 NFL draft is less than three weeks away, with many NFL teams putting the final touches on their big boards and determining who they want to target in the draft. Now is the time where many NFL analysts begin getting a little more creative with their mock drafts, with ESPN's Bill Barnwell taking things to another level recently.
Barnwell released an article last Monday that included a trade for every single pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft. In essence, this exercise can be viewed as getting a sense of the value of each pick. It also shows which teams might be interested in moving up or down the draft board come April 24.
The Las Vegas Raiders are one team that finds themselves in an interesting position when it comes to making a draft-day trade. On one hand, they are a rebuilding team that could stand to trade down and acquire more picks to accelerate their rebuild.
On the other hand, Las Vegas could make an aggressive move up the board to snag one of this year's blue-chip prospects. The Raiders know what rookie Brock Bowers accomplished in 2024 and may be tempted to go get another player of his caliber.
But who might the Raiders be interested in trading up for? Below we will explore Barnwell's trade proposal that would send tight end Michael Mayer to the Cleveland Browns in a deal that would net Las Vegas the No. 2 overall pick in the draft.
Bill Barnwell recommends Raiders use Michael Mayer to trade up in 2025 NFL draft
Let's dive into the terms of this trade offer before getting into any analysis.
Raiders receive:
- 2025 first-round pick (second overall)
- 2027 seventh-round pick (conditional)
Browns receive:
- TE Michael Mayer
- 2025 first-round pick (sixth overall)
- 2025 second-round pick (37th overall)
- 2026 fourth-round pick
The Raiders pay a hefty price here to move up just four spots in the draft. Las Vegas could technically stay put and land a talented player with the No. 6 overall pick, with many draft analysts predicting they will pick Boise State football running back Ashton Jeanty if they were to hold onto their pick.
So why the trade up? Barnwell believes the Raiders should happily pay that price to acquire a generational player like Travis Hunter.
“For the Raiders, this is their chance to add a transcendent player,” Barnwell wrote. “Travis Hunter is probably not making it to No. 6, and new coach Pete Carroll — a legendary defensive backs coach — has been known to defy positional value if there's a player he really loves in the secondary. (Remember, he once traded two first-round picks for Jamal Adams.)”
Hunter is a truly special player. He is an incredibly rare two-way player who can play both offense and defense. Hunter is a standout wide receiver, but he may be an even better cornerback. Hunter played on both sides of the ball during his collegiate career with Colorado football. This versatility is one of reasons why he is so coveted by most NFL teams.
As Barnwell explained, the Raiders could start Hunter as a cornerback and sprinkle him in on the offensive side of the ball from time to time. This is how many NFL draft experts expect Hunter will get used in the NFL.
The Raiders have Eric Stokes, Jakorian Bennett, and Decamerion Richardson as their top cornerbacks heading into the 2025 NFL draft. Adding a lockdown cornerback like Hunter would be a great move. It would look even better when Hunter contributes as a receiver on offense.
Browns make savvy move to kickstart their rebuild by acquiring Michael Mayer
Meanwhile, from the Browns perspective, they have plenty to be excited about from this trade.
Cleveland is in a desperate state after the Deshaun Watson trade was a complete failure. Adding a talented player like Mayer and two additional draft picks is a great haul, especially for only moving down four picks. At worst, the Browns can kick the tires on Mayer for a few seasons and add more players on cheap contracts in preparation for their eventual tear down and rebuild.
The fascinating part about Cleveland adding Mayer is that he ceiling is unknown.
Mayer's hauled in 27 receptions for 304 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. He did this in a subpar offense and while adjusting to the NFL game.
Mayer has second-round draft capital, so it is reasonable for Cleveland to assume he is capable of bigger things.
The Browns could use Mayer as a featured piece of their offense in 2026. That assumes they move on from David Njoku after 2025.
Grading a hypothetical Michael Mayer trade to the Browns
I will give the Raiders a C+ for this trade. The price is simply too high, even to get a talented player like Travis Hunter.
I just can't get behind this trade when Las Vegas could stay put and take Ashton Jeany instead.
Meanwhile, I will give the Browns a B+ for this trade.
I appreciate the strategy of adding Mayer and more draft picks while only moving down a few spots in the first round. In fact, I would encourage Cleveland to trade down again and acquire more draft capital for their rebuild.
Adding a superstar like Abdul Carter may be tempting, but it does not fit Cleveland's timeline. They need to get their salary cap in order before adding more star players.
