The Las Vegas Raiders are heading into the 2025 season with confidence in their offensive line. New general manager John Spytek signed left tackle Kolton Miller to a lucrative extension this offseason that keeps the franchise blindside protector under contract for the foreseeable future. The interior is loaded with ascending blockers like Jackson Powers-Johnson and Dylan Parham.

If there’s a perceived question on the Raiders’ offensive line, it’s probably at right tackle. Sophomore third-round selection DJ Glaze is slated to start opposite Miller for a second straight season. Glaze performed admirably as a rookie in 2024, allowing just three sacks in nearly 1,000 total snaps. He had his occasional struggles, too, and is now tasked with repeating his successes while also showcasing second-year growth.

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ESPN’s Field Yates recently shared his latest 2026 NFL mock draft. Using their in-house Football Power Index — which uses thousands of simulations to predict the entire NFL season — to determine the draft order, the Raiders selected Utah Utes offensive tackle Spencer Fano.

“Fano has played both left and right tackle at the collegiate level, and I think he can do it in the NFL, too,” Yates wrote. “He has terrific length and impressive footwork, as he effortlessly matches and mirrors edge rushers as a pass protector. But Fano is not just a movement/finesse player; he has an edge and mean streak to his game that shows up when finishing blocks. The Raiders recently reinvested in veteran left tackle Kolton Miller, but throwing more resources at the line will always be a focus for GM John Spytek.”

Firstly, if the Raiders are drafting seventh overall, the 2025 season was a terrible disappointment. Secondly, selecting Fano with a top-10 selection indicates he’ll play right tackle in the NFL, and that Glaze failed to establish himself as a long-term solution. The Raiders will have better options with their 2026 first-round pick.

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This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Raiders make peculiar pick in 2026 NFL mock draft