The Las Vegas Raiders need a wide receiver desperately, but they may have reservations about taking one in the second or third round because of last offseason.
Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek assistant GM Brian Stark 2026 NFL Draft wide receiver
Raiders YouTube Channel
When you look at the top-30 visits the Las Vegas Raiders have done, it’s clear they are very interested in a few of the wide receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft. It’s also clear that all of the WRs they are interested in seem to be somewhere in that second to fourth round range.
Pre-draft visits show team interest and can involve information gathering. The Raiders have met with Georgia State WR Ted Hurst, ECU WR Anthony Smith, Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion, Alabama WR Germie Bernard, Washington WR Denzel Boston, Louisville WR Chris Bell, Texas Tech WR Caleb Douglas, Georgia WR Zachariah Branch, and Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr.—seven of whom are top-30 visits.
When you look at any fan-driven mock draft right now, most of them will have the Raiders taking a WR in Round 2 or 3. However, I’m just not sure that’s what they will do. Is there a chance? Yes. But after creating a Horizontal Big Board, it feels to me like the Raiders may do it later on Day 2 or even Day 3 before RD 2.
Horizontal Big Board says the Raiders’ best plan to get a WR is on Day 2
A Horizontal Big Board is vital for evaluating depth and alternatives at each position. For example, if a team passes on a cornerback in the second round, the board shows which options remain in later rounds. It also identifies which player types to target with each pick, enabling informed decisions at every stage for each position.
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# 1 overall pick
Trade back into the late first
Jordyn Tyson
Omar Cooper Jr.
Monroe Freeling
Kadyn Proctor
Caleb Lomu
Blake Miller
Max Iheanachor
Kayden McDonald
Peter Woods
Pick #36
Denzel Boston
KC Concepcion
Germie Bernard
Chris Bell
Emmanuel Pregnon
Keylan Rutledge
Christen Miller
Lee Hunter
Caleb Banks
R Mason Thomas
Cashius Howell
Chris Johnson
Aveion Terrell
D’Angelo Ponds
AJ Haulcy
Keionte Scott
Treydan Stukes
Pick #67
Jadarian Price
Mike Washington
Emmett Johnson
Malachi Fields
De’Zhaun Stribling
Elijah Sarratt
Ted Hurst
Zach Branch
Bryce Lance
Chris Brazzell
Gennings Dunker
Jalen Farmer
Billy Schrauth
Domonique Orange
Chris McClellan
Darrell Jackson Jr.
Gracen Halton
Dani Dennis-Sutton
Derrick Moore
Jake Golday
Kyle Louis
Josiah Trotter
Brandon Cisse
Keith Abney
Malik Muhammad
Davison Igbinosun
Chandler Rivers
Picks: 102, 117, 134 (4th RDs)
Kaytron Allen
Jonah Coleman
Demond Claiborne
Nick Singleton
Malik Benson
Jakobi Lane
Reggie Virgil
Skyler Bell
Febechi Nwaiwu
Logan Taylor
Kage Casey
Beau Stephens
Diego Pounds
Travis Burke
Jude Bowry
Tyler Onyedim
Albert Regis
Rayshaun Benny
Jaishawn Barham
LT Overton
Keyshaun Elliot
Bryce Boettcher
Daylen Everette
Tacario Davis
Devin Moore
Julian Neal
Genesis Smith
Kamari Ramsey
Jakobe Thomas
VJ Payne
#175 (5th RD)
Eli Heidenreich
Kaelon Black
Jack Endries
Joe Royer
Dallen Bentley
Riley Nowakowski
Josh Cuevas
Michael Trigg
Kaegen Trost
Alex Harkey
Anez Cooper
Caden Barnett
Demetrius Crownover
Drew Shelton
Isaiah World
Kaleb Proctor
Cam Ball
Demonte Capehart
Caden Curry
Josh Josephs
Logan Fano
Anthony Lucas
Trey Moore
Aiden Fisher
Jack Kelly
Harold Perkins
Jadon Canady
Charles Demmings
Will Lee
Thaddeus Dixon
Picks: 185, 208 (6th RDs)
Josh Cameron
J. Michael Sturdivant
Fernando Carmona
Jeremiah Wright
Zane Durant
landon Robinson
Kendal Daniels
Taurean York
Xavien Sorey
Deonte Lawson
Hezekiah Masses
Collin Wright
TJ Hall
Bishop Fitzgerald
Jalen Husky
Louis Moore
#219 (7th RD)
Roman Hemby
Chip Trayanum
Adam Randall
Rahsul Faison
Caleb Douglas
Jordan Hudson
Zavion Thomas
Barion Brown
Jaren Kanak
Lake McRee
John Michael-Gyllenborg
Armaj Reed-Adams
DJ Campbell
Jaeden Roberts
Tim Keenan
Damonic Williams
Skyler Gill-Howard
Dontay Corleone
Scooby Williams
Lander Barton
Eric Gentry
Wessley Bissainthe
Brent Austin
Ahmari Harvey
Marcus Allen
Lorenzo Styles Jr.
Skyler Thomas
Cole Wisniewski
UDFA
CJ Donaldson
Robert Henry Jr.
Jaydn Ott
Tyren Montgomery
Eric McCallister
Aaron Anderson
Romello Brinson
Miles Kitselman
Dan Villari
Evan Svoboda
Hayden Large
Dillon Wade
Micah Morris
Josh Braun
Sam Hagen
Riley Mahlman
Tristan Leigh
Gavin Ortega
James Neal
Micah Pettus
Zxavien Harris
Aaron Hall
Jalen Hunt
Stephen Daly
David Blay
Marvin Jones Jr.
Patrick Payton
Dasan McCullough
Bryan Thomas Jr.
Ethan Burke
West Weeks
Jack Dingle
Shad Banks
Jaedyn Lukus
Kolbey Taylor
Ayden Garnes
Ahmad Moses
Miles Scott
Jalen Stroman
Larry Worth
On my Horizontal Big Board that I built, you can see that there are many more options available in the third and fourth rounds than in the second. The second and fourth actually have the same number of guys projected to be there, but the second pick doesn’t feel like it should be a wide receiver when there are other positions and needs at hand.
Spytek drafted Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton in the second and fourth rounds, using significant draft capital. Returning to wide receiver early feels unlikely. We also lack clarity on Bech and Thornton’s long-term value. Their rookie seasons were disappointing, but their second seasons could clarify future needs. They believe in those guys, so why would they take a WR in Round 2 again?
Based on everything we know at hand, it feels like the Raiders will likely be drafting a WR in the third or fourth rounds. Sure, this board doesn’t mean anything, since guys can rise and fall, and teams have different evals and big boards than ours. However, it’s clear they do still need to take a WR. Now, it’s just about finding the right time.
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