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 ?

[DanKD]

Given the insane contract value the idea of taking a receiver with our second pick is growing on me.

[BoKnows81]

California Post’s Vincent Bonsignore reports that the Raiders are “digging really deep” into the incoming rookie wide receiver class.

Smart move. The Raiders are widely expected to take Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick and currently field an extremely thin wide receiver corps. The Raiders’ second draft pick is No. 36 overall, which could be used to draft a No. 1 wide receiver. Given Bonsignore’s “deep” comment, we expect them to take multiple players at the position. The team recently hosted Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion, who is currently viewed as a candidate to be drafted late in the first round or early in the second. Tre Tucker, 25, is the Raiders’ most proven wide receiver, though he caught just 57-of-90 targets for 696 yards and five touchdowns last year. Other penciled-in starters include WR Jack Bech, WR Dont’e Thornton and WR Jalen Nailor. All three failed to earn 50 or more targets last year.

[Boomer14-]

I know we will never go after him, but I like Malachi Fields. I know he is not a burner(4.6) but has great size and is a very good blocker. Great possession receiver, wins the jump ball and back shoulder catches. QB friendly WR. I was always a Marcus Colston fan and Malachi is compared to him. Probably going to play the X receiver in the NFL. Some have him going in the 2nd round, but could slide. I think he could be a steal for somebody.

[chucker]

I know we will never go after him, but I like Malachi Fields. I know he is not a burner(4.6) but has great size and is a very good blocker. Great possession receiver, wins the jump ball and back shoulder catches. QB friendly WR. I was always a Marcus Colston fan and Malachi is compared to him. Probably going to play the X receiver in the NFL. Some have him going in the 2nd round, but could slide. I think he could be a steal for somebody.

Why would we never go after him?

[Attyla]

Solid second rounder who wins vs the defender on contested passes. Great hands and a reasonably good blocker. Not going to beat you with his speed but he has burst. Unless you are Jerry Rice, I am not really a guy who wants a receiver who is slow.

[heavyD]

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.

[Attyla]

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 get caught in this thought pattern as well. I tell myself "don't focus on position, just get the best option regardless" and then start looking at position groups. Would I love a big deal tackle or guard to be sitting there waiting for us to take? Definitely. But I know that might not happen so I would want Spytek to not reach on a guy. If the receiver is the best, we should take the receiver. The only positions I am eliminating from being an option is kickers, punters and QBs. Maybe RB as well, but I don't think there will be a RB who is the best player available at our second pick. I could be wrong but I don't really see that realistically.

[mstrbass2000]

Excellent listen, thanks for sharing. I like Greg Cosells sleeper pick at WR ranked in the 70s. He looks great at the catch point of attack. Catching with the hands is big with me and he looks really good there.

gregs always a good listen too, great analysis and commentary ...after listening to this i watched tape on hurst (surprised me a bit would be a good sleeper late rd 2 early rd 3 i was already high on brazzel and kc

[mstrbass2000]

wr is becoming a position similar to de and qb every yr you gotta take a shot at the position cause you can never have too many of em

[RaiderFan1]

I get caught in this thought pattern as well. I tell myself "don't focus on position, just get the best option regardless" and then start looking at position groups. Would I love a big deal tackle or guard to be sitting there waiting for us to take? Definitely. But I know that might not happen so I would want Spytek to not reach on a guy. If the receiver is the best, we should take the receiver. The only positions I am eliminating from being an option is kickers, punters and QBs. Maybe RB as well, but I don't think there will be a RB who is the best player available at our second pick. I could be wrong but I don't really see that realistically.

Its best for a GM to manage the cap and roster by using the draft for the most expensive positions and using free agency to address the less expensive positions in order to be most effecient in spending. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, just got signed a Contract: $168.6 million/4-year extension ($42.15 million-per-year average) thats a lot of
Money. Even Jacobi Meyers got $60 mil for 3 years ($20 mil per year) as a WR 2. Yes go WR or DT if a good option is there when the Raiders are picking. GM has to Balance position and best player during the draft. You know this

[Attyla]

Its best for a GM to manage the cap and roster by using the draft for the most expensive positions and using free agency to address the less expensive positions in order to be most effecient in spending. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, just got signed a Contract: $168.6 million/4-year extension ($42.15 million-per-year average) thats a lot of
Money. Even Jacobi Meyers got $60 mil for 3 years ($20 mil per year) as a WR 2. Yes go WR or DT if a good option is there when the Raiders are picking. GM has to Balance position and best player during the draft. You know this

Actually I disagree. And don't assume you know what I know. We just spent a ton in free agency for a very expensive position and it was the right thing to do. We may go receiver in the draft but that does not mean we are taking into consideration future contracts by doing so. We may go offensive line. We certainly could go defensive line. But no matter what I want us to be true to the board and not worry about free agency money or second contract money when we draft. That is absolutely the wrong way to draft. I just don't want position to dictate the pick, I want the talent to dictate the pick. Down the draft? Maybe position overrides talent to a degree, but on day one and day two, you get the best player regardless of position.

[Danchinho]

Actually I disagree. And don't assume you know what I know. We just spent a ton in free agency for a very expensive position and it was the right thing to do. We may go receiver in the draft but that does not mean we are taking into consideration future contracts by doing so. We may go offensive line. We certainly could go defensive line. But no matter what I want us to be true to the board and not worry about free agency money or second contract money when we draft. That is absolutely the wrong way to draft. I just don't want position to dictate the pick, I want the talent to dictate the pick. Down the draft? Maybe position overrides talent to a degree, but on day one and day two, you get the best player regardless of position.

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?

[Attyla]

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?

Scheme really does not play into this much because teams typically run several scheme formations in any given game. If we draft a Olineman who is a power blocker, that does not mean we are never power blocking and even college guys run some power, some zone and some gap so they will have some skill at all of them and can be trained up on their weaker blocking schemes. Same with the 4/3 or 3/4. Teams run various versions of the front 7 all the time. Corner, that is another. Press or off? They change that up all the time and if you are wanting to run mostly off and you get a press corner, that does not mean he cannot play off, and he did that some in college as well.

I guess the only position where the skill set is that specific is QB where you have pocket style QBs who are not that mobile vs a RPO guy or another style of QB. But QB is pretty much the only position (other than kickers) where they may be outside the BPA draft strategy. Quite often a QB is drafted high in the draft without being the BPA and in the lower rounds you might pass on a QB who is the BPA simply because your QB room is loaded up or other reasons. On paper, Sanders fell down and there are probably 30 guys who were drafted ahead of him that were not as good as his college tape. But he lowered his own value by being a reputed douchebag and other baggage.

For me, scheme is not going to factor in much because teams run various schemes to suit in game situations and frankly the opponent they are playing. But a really good question

[Rabidraider]

I'm thinking Lee Hunter will be sitting there at 36....

[Viper]

DT - FS - WR - depth anywhere.

In that order is what I’d love to see. I agree you don’t draft for scheme or position but these positions need addressing.

Ideally the best scenario would be 3 starters in this draft for us, but unlikely. If the remaining picks can contribute via depth and special teams, big bonus. Injuries will occur as well as resting starters.

I understand some players need time to adjust to the speed at this level, I just don’t want a repeat of last year where many don’t get enough playing time to see what we actually have and need. It’s plausible we have a starter from last years draft on the O line even.

With coaches with high pedigree now in place, we may actually make a little noise this year, especially with our version of a Cuban Goff under center.

Mendoza is on the edge of the spectrum which may be his super power in football. I’m rooting for the kid.