There is a version of this column that spends 700 words parsing each Las Vegas Raiders 2026 NFL Draft pick and finding reasons to hedge. It would take too much thinking on this. The Las Vegas Raiders had one of the best drafts in the NFL this weekend, and Jon Spytek deserves credit for running it like a front office with a real plan.
With how his first year unfolded, many in Raider Nation were skeptical about whether Spytek could be trusted with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. After all, his first year, with former coach Pete Carroll, was filled with missed drafts and free agent misses. Yet, according to astute observers, there was something else at play.
No, 2026 was the first time we got a full glimpse of how Spytek, along with minority owner Tom Brady and some new scouting and front office staff, will run and build this thing. And, I must say, it was impressive.
Jon Spytek didn't overthink it, he addressed key roster needs
Start with the foundation: Fernando Mendoza was never going to be wrong at No. 1. Las Vegas is already building a real support system around him, including Tyler Linderbaum at center, Ashton Jeanty in the backfield and Brock Bowers at tight end. The job of picks two through 10 was to add that infrastructure and fix the secondary. They did both, and then some.
Treydan Stukes addressed two needs at once – nickelback and safety – and was a legitimate first-round pick heading into draft weekend. Stukes isn't a sexy pick, but he is a functional guy, and in a draft where the Raiders had a long list of needs, picking the guy who covers the most ground makes sense.
At 91, Trey Zuhn III might have been the steal of the day. He posted the highest pass-blocking grade at 96.8 among all college tackles on Pro Football Focus, and the Raiders took him in the third round. He was announced as a center but played tackle at Texas A&M. As for his NFL career, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. Either way, he is a high-floor player protecting a rookie quarterback. You can't argue with that.
Then the third day came and Spytek did not turn off the gas.
McCoy's selection was off the charts
Honestly, at 101 years old, Jermod McCoy feels like a steal. He was the 14th overall prospect on the consensus big board and shouldn't have fallen that far. Length, pace, ball skills – he has everything you want in a modern cornerback. The knee injury concerns are real – there are a lot of questions about McCoy's health, and that's why he still sat out Day 3. But the Raiders liked him enough to trade up a spot, sending a 7th-rounder to Buffalo to make sure they got him. It's about being aggressive, and when top-14 talent is sitting in the fourth round being aggressive is always the right decision. If McCoy is healthy, this selection looks like the best value in the entire draft.
Mike Washington Jr. adds versatility and physicality to the backfield. He ran a 4.33-second 40 and gave Ashton Jeanty a real running partner – someone who can contribute in the passing game and break tackles if needed. The attackers made a bargain to get him too. Again, perfect trend.
Before crowning the attackers, consider what didn't happen
So, where does all this leave us? In a really good place, something you couldn't say about this franchise 12 months ago.
That said — and this column will be honest — there are real questions that weren't answered this weekend.
Wide receiver Malik Benson was taken in the sixth round. Sixth rounder. The Raiders brought in several top wideouts for Top 30 trips throughout the spring, only for it to play out as a smoke screen. Benson has 4.37 speed and is legit, but he is a developmental piece, not a solution. Las Vegas took Deonte Thornton Jr. and Jack Beech last year, and neither of them came off a screen. At some point, Mendoza is going to need a legitimate No. 1 target outside of Brock Bowers to make things work. That question is still open.
and the defensive tackle position – the Raiders finally addressed a gap at nose tackle with their final selection of the draft, Brandon Cleveland, in the 7th round. 7th round. He has good size and is a reasonable run stopper, but it's hard to see him making a real impact as a rookie. Passing Tyree Wilson and answering the D-tackle position at pick 229 is a bet that the room is better than it looks. Maybe it is. But this is a condition.
None of this changes the overall verdict. The Raiders had a strong free agency period followed by a draft that would yield good grades throughout the league. Spytech was aggressive, targeted real needs and found value at almost every turn. For a franchise that has spent years drafting without direction, this weekend really felt different.
Ceiling questions at receiver and interior D-line are real. But the Las Vegas Raiders 2026 NFL Draft gave themselves a chance. After decades of head-scratching drafts, it's a good place to be.
