2026 Draft - Raiders & all teams (April 23-25)

[RaiderFan1]

Obvious Mendoza #1 no consideration of trading that pick.
But who you got picks 2 - 4 thats going to help Mendoza.

#2 Raiders should be able to select WR Chris Bell or WR KC Concepcion with our early 2nd.

#3 I forget who it was, but someone here mentioned that the best pure dominant RT coming out of college could be got in the 3rd. And stated hes played his whole career at RT, and not being moved around the line.

Sounds like solid gets

Id hope the rest of the draft is building the trenches, with maybe 1 DB in there

Who else you like ?

[mstrbass2000]

Serious question. What if the BPA is not a scheme fit? Do you then take a player that has not had the same plaudits but might be better suited to the strategy you intend to employ?

exactly, scheme has to be taken into consideration, position scarcity also has to be taken into consideration and of course need

[DanKD]

Teams absolutely take position scarcity and value into consideration when building their draft boards. As they do scheme fit.

The idea of sticking to best player available doesnt mean best player on Mel Kipers or the general media consensus' board. It means taking BPA on your own board and not reaching for a specific position that is not near the top of your own board.

[Attyla]

Teams absolutely take position scarcity and value into consideration when building their draft boards. As they do scheme fit.

The idea of sticking to best player available doesnt mean best player on Mel Kipers or the general media consensus' board. It means taking BPA on your own board and not reaching for a specific position that is not near the top of your own board.

BPA means keeping true to your board. That means that you evaluate the players and put them in order, no consideration for position or scheme. As guys come off the board, as you approach your pick, you take the highest player left, with one wrinkle. If a player is close talent wise and he is a player of need, you can jump your board slightly to make that pick. But teams that take need over best player will end up hurting themselves. Think Arnette. We have a lot of needs so we can afford to go purely best player available. Also, you guys seem focused on scheme but there is no pure scheme on any team. Teams run hybrid defenses that are 3-4 and then they switch up to 4-3 so you have players who can play in multiple sets. On offense, while we will run a lot of zone blocking, we will also switch that up and run man blocking. College players do that as well so you get guys who can play both. But the top level guys are adept at that so rarely just a problem.

And I cannot emphasis this enough, BPA is subjective. Our talent evaluators are going to be watching for certain traits in players which make them the BPA with those traits. And maturity also matters so our talent evaluators are going to be looking for certain observable maturity. Other teams are going to do the same thing, but ultimately no boards look the same because it is all opinion and subjective. I don't care one little bit about position or scheme (other than taking a second QB high or a kicker or punter) as long as they are intelligent football players who can play on this team. I doubt we take a day 2 NT but if he is the best when we pick we take him. I know there are other needs and we will need to fill them, but the best guy when we pick is who we should pick.

[NoThanksSir]

I can't get behind drafting another below average speed WR in the 2nd round back to back after taking Bech last year. In fact I would rather they address another position with the pick.

I agree with you. I don't think this is some special WR class, I think forcing a pick in the 2nd isn't ideal based on what I've seen. Maybe someone falls and we make a value pick, but I'm personally avoiding these WR's early, as I think very few if any have a #1 ceiling. Flyers on dudes in the middle round are one thing, but taking a guy in the 2nd in this class after taking Bech last year is the definition of reaching for need imo. There are better players to be had elsewhere, and our needs are plenty.

[Goodtimes333]

2nd round, in this teams state, priority goes to Oline/Dline. If a special WR is there at 36 that should be an option. A Cooper Jr reunion with Mendoza specifically comes to mind. People sleep on nose tackle but if you have a guy who is a boulder against the run that can also push the pocket back and cause pocket havoc? You take that all day long at 36 if that type of guy is there. Those guys are not common

[MexicanHulk]

I agree with you. I don't think this is some special WR class, I think forcing a pick in the 2nd isn't ideal based on what I've seen. Maybe someone falls and we make a value pick, but I'm personally avoiding these WR's early, as I think very few if any have a #1 ceiling. Flyers on dudes in the middle round are one thing, but taking a guy in the 2nd in this class after taking Bech last year is the definition of reaching for need imo. There are better players to be had elsewhere, and our needs are plenty.

I agree. I don’t get the talk from most saying this is a very good, deep WR class. I don’t like the depth at all. IMO, this WR class is meh overall. There are a few I like but not many. After the 1st rounders (Tyson, Lemon, Tate, Cooper, Boston, KC), I wouldn’t take one in the second. Boston & KC I like a lot & wouldn’t mind them if they drop to 36 but, I’d likely still have a DT rated above them. After those top WRs, I like Chris Bell & Ted Hurst the most. But that’d be rounds 3-4. Then Deion Burks right after those two.

For the most part, I dont really like any other WR before the 5th. I’d let other teams take all the other WRs rated in rounds 2-4.

Right now at 36 I’d like:
DT - McDonald, Hunter, Woods

WR - Boston, KC

FS - Haulcy

LB - J. Rodriguez

OT - I haven’t done research on Miller, iheanachor, Proctor, Lomu but, wouldn’t mad about picking a OT even tho I see it as less of a need than the positions/players above.

These are just players who I’d love to get at 36. Probably in that order, from top to bottom. I’d assume at least one of them would be available &, they’d be positions of need &, BPA types. Again, I’d have to watch tape on those OTs tho, cause, I may or may not like them.

I didn’t add C.Miller to the DT group cause, I’m not there yet with him. I’m gonna watch more tape but so far, I have him a tier below all the players above. Banks, I’d take in the 3rd tho. Near elite DT type talent there. The injuries are scary tho.

[Attyla]

I agree with you. I don't think this is some special WR class, I think forcing a pick in the 2nd isn't ideal based on what I've seen. Maybe someone falls and we make a value pick, but I'm personally avoiding these WR's early, as I think very few if any have a #1 ceiling. Flyers on dudes in the middle round are one thing, but taking a guy in the 2nd in this class after taking Bech last year is the definition of reaching for need imo. There are better players to be had elsewhere, and our needs are plenty.

It's deep in that there are a lot of ST types who have shown flashes so they could be developed. But taking a slow WR just because he is big and has good hands is the very disaster pick I look to avoid.

[MexicanHulk]

It's deep in that there are a lot of ST types who have shown flashes so they could be developed. But taking a slow WR just because he is big and has good hands is the very disaster pick I look to avoid.

I agree. I don’t like slow WRs either. But to add more to it, slow WRs who also don’t possess short area quickness. That suddenness, quick acceleration in & out of breaks or, smooth change of direction without decelerating. That’s what’s even more important. You have to have some good balance between all those traits above.

This is why I don’t like this WR class much overall.

I have Surrat in that category. Which is why I wouldn’t touch him in the 2nd-3rd like some have said. I don’t see the speed to his game that I think he needs to get open/separation at the clip I’d like. For an early rounder at least.

[rich72]

QB, DT, Oline, SAF, CB is my wish list for the draft.

[NoThanksSir]

I agree. I don’t like slow WRs either. But to add more to it, slow WRs who also don’t possess short area quickness. That suddenness, quick acceleration in & out of breaks or, smooth change of direction without decelerating. That’s what’s even more important. You have to have some good balance between all those traits above.

This is why I don’t like this WR class much overall.

I have Surrat in that category. Which is why I wouldn’t touch him in the 2nd-3rd like some have said. I don’t see the speed to his game that I think he needs to get open/separation at the clip I’d like. For an early rounder at least.

Surrat is exactly the type of guy who is being elevated because the class is piss poor and the free agents are making stupid money. I don't think it's necessary for us to force WR this year. We just invested picks, we have a #1 slot option in Bowers since Mayers can play inline, and a T10 selection at RB. I want to get better at WR but year 1 of a rebuild isn't the time to do so, unless a golden goose falls into your lap. Something I don't think is happening in this draft class and where we are selecting.

[Jeevo]

Surrat is exactly the type of guy who is being elevated because the class is piss poor and the free agents are making stupid money. I don't think it's necessary for us to force WR this year. We just invested picks, we have a #1 slot option in Bowers since Mayers can play inline, and a T10 selection at RB. I want to get better at WR but year 1 of a rebuild isn't the time to do so, unless a golden goose falls into your lap. Something I don't think is happening in this draft class and where we are selecting.

Yup. There will be a number of decent WR options for us later.

[rich72]

Im kind of hoping Jack Bech and Dante Thornton Jr step up this season. The way they talk about our WR room is pretty bad. Thornton especially because hes like Randy Moss size and speed.

[raiders93]

Im kind of hoping Jack Bech and Dante Thornton Jr step up this season. The way they talk about our WR room is pretty bad. Thornton especially because hes like Randy Moss size and speed.

They looked very in over their heads last year considering how much playing time they got. They get some leeway given that the offence as a whole was such a mess but there’s not a ton to see in their tape either.

Not writing them off but they look more like 3rd - 5th guys on a depth chart that should work their way up at this point.

[BoKnows81]

Todd's buddy says taking Kaydyn Proctor over Iheanachor is a fireable offense. Interesting and I kinda agree. I'd be happy with Blake Miller or Iheanachor at 36 though.

[KillerRaider30]

Thornton has straight line speed and doesn't cut well which effects his route tree. He's not a stop on a dime back shoulder outside the numbers WR.
*and doesn't have good hands.
Because of it he's a one dimensional fit.
Another year but who knows.

As for Bech? So far I see him as a mini Brock. Better than good hands and can catch in tight windows. Finds the seams. A solid #2.

This draft doesn't have a Ja'Marr Chase so at 36 it'll be the best system fit reciever. I like Boston as a strong WR2; strong hands/strong at the catch point.
And I like Concepcion. His speed would add another element to the WR rout tree room but after those 2? Idk. There's no #1 WR at 36.
To me that is.

Ted Hurst is another stong at the pass attack point and may be sitting there with our 3rd. I like him as an outside the #s 10-15 yard route catcher. Good stop turn and catch kinda reciever.

And they have Nailer.

Whats the WR room value compared to positions of other need at 36 and 67?