Nine years covering the Raiders. I’ve recorded more stories and done more podcast episodes about dysfunction, coaching changes and wasted draft picks than I care to count.
It feels different this week at the NFL Combine.
The Raiders enter the NFL Combine in Indianapolis with the No. 1 pick, a head coach who actually has an offensive identity, and real questions worth asking. BEST: Who is catching passes for Fernando Mendoza?
With several other needs on the roster, don’t be surprised if general manager Jon Spitek goes aggressive with the pick of Mendoza. The Raiders have the assets and cap space to move back in the first round, and wide receiver is the position that keeps coming up in those conversations. Clint Kubiak’s offense needs weapons. Brock Bowers is elite. Ashton Jeanty is going to be a problem for the defense. But Mendoza needs help from someone on the outside, and right now, that room is thin.
So with that background, here are five wide receivers I’ll be keeping my eye on all week at the NFL Combine.
Carnell Tate Ohio State
Watch this kid in action during receiver drills and you’ll understand why scouts can’t stop talking about him. Tate isn’t the biggest receiver in this class and he’s not going to blow anyone away with his 40 time. What he does is make the game easier. His route running is as polished as I’ve seen from a college receiver in years – fast breaks, precise footwork, and an almost supernatural ability to find the soft spot in a field. He averaged 17.2 yards per catch last season at Ohio State. Put him next to Mendoza and you’re immediately giving your quarterback a legitimate WR1 to grow from. He’ll be gone before he’s 25, maybe before 20. The Raiders won’t be able to catch him at age 33 unless something strange happens.
Jordan Tyson arizona state
This is the person I’m most looking forward to meeting this week and this is the person who irritates me the most. Tyson is as explosive as any other player in this class. His cornerback gets sideways when he comes off the line, and when he gets into his route, he’s really hard to cover. The problem has been staying healthy. He has never played a full college season. The combine medical will tell teams a lot, and if he gets a clean bill of health and performs well, his stock will skyrocket. He will not participate in on-field workouts due to health concerns. A healthy Tyson could be a legitimate top 10 pick going into the draft, but I expect him to miss. He is a risky prospect with massive upside.
Corn Lemon | USC
Every analyst in Indianapolis is making the Amon-Ra St. Brown comparison right now, and I don’t think they’re wrong. Lemon is 5-11 and size concerns will follow him all week. But 79 catches, 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns last season is no small stat line. He runs perfect routes, catches everything, and absolutely punishes people after the catch. He averaged 502 yards after the catch alone in 2025. It is a weapon. For a young quarterback learning to navigate NFL defenses, having a receiver who consistently gets open up the middle and makes something happen once he gets the ball is invaluable. Check out his short-field agility numbers. If he pops athletically, the size conversation quickly cools down.
Denzel Boston | Washington
Whenever I think about what Las Vegas could realistically aim for, Boston is the name I keep bringing up. He’s right on the bubble between the end of the first round and the beginning of the second round, which puts him straight into play at pick 33 if he doesn’t make the expected run. At 6-3 and 209 pounds, he’s a competitive catcher machine – physical at the line, great hands, fighting for every ball. He gives a young QB a big target to rely on in tight windows. See him face to face. Big receivers either isolate themselves or get exposed in those practices, and Boston’s tape shows that he belongs.
Zakaria Branch Georgia
Branch is this week’s wildcard, and honestly, the most fun player to watch on this list. He’s small and his route tree is still developing, but if he goes sub-4.3 in the 40 — which some people think is possible — he becomes one of the most highly-touted players in Indianapolis regardless of position. That kind of speed opens up the entire offense. Kubiak used that kind of threat effectively in Seattle. Branch could be a Day 2 pick that ultimately becomes a steal.
The Raiders haven’t had this kind of draft capital or this kind of offseason clarity in a long time. Mendoza is the foundation. But who is standing outside him in line also matters equally. That picture begins to come into focus this week in Indianapolis.
It’s a good time to pay attention to the NFL Combine this week, Raider Nation.
#wide #receivers #watch #week
