The Las Vegas Raiders’ 2026 NFL Draft guide is here to get you ready for big event later this month. Now that the draft is just a few weeks away, let’s look at the Raiders’ draft pick, their biggest needs, potential targets, and their recent draft history. The draft takes place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania this year with the first round kicking off on Thursday, April 23rd. Round 2 and 3 follow on Friday April 24th with the remaining four rounds on Saturday April 25th.
Raiders’ 2026 NFL Draft picks
The Raiders will enter the 2026 NFL Draft with 10 total selections. Las Vegas was awarded two compensatory picks after losing a slew of players including Tre’von Moehrig, Robert Spillane, and K’Lavon Chaisson during free agency last year. The Raiders control the draft with the first overall pick.
Round 1, Pick 1
Round 2, Pick 36
Round 3, Pick 67
Round 4, Pick 102
Round 4, Pick 117 (from Vikings)
Round 4, Pick 134 (compensatory)
Round 5, Pick 175 (compensatory)
Round 6, Pick 185
Round 6, Pick 208 (from Bills)
Round 7, Pick 219
Raiders’ 2026 NFL Draft needs and targets
The most obvious need for the Raiders is a franchise quarterback. That’s why Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the consensus first overall pick for the Raiders in mock drafts. There’s really no point discussing that topic, as there’s practically no chance Las Vegas goes in any other direction at the top of the draft.
Now that it is out of the way, here are a few additional positions that Las Vegas should prioritize during the draft.
Wide receiver: This is one of the biggest needs left for the Raiders ahead of the draft. If the Raiders draft Mendoza, he’ll enter a solid situation. Klint Kubiak is an offensive-minded head coach who can help Mendoza get the most out of Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers. But outside of those two playmakers, the Raiders have a lot of work to do. Tre Tucker and Jalen Nailor as the top options in Las Vegas right now, which shows how much work they have to do. The Raiders should scoop up any wide receiver that tumbles towards the bottom of the first round, perhaps even trading up. Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana) and KC Concepcion (Texas A&M) could be targets if Vegas trades up. Otherwise, they may take a shot on someone like Chris Brazzell II (Tennessee) or Germie Bernard (Alabama).
Right tackle: If the Raiders can upgrade at right tackle, their o-line would be close to spotless. That would be great news for both Mendoza and Jeanty. Unfortunately, the Raiders will be forced to trade up if they want a starting-caliber player. Max Iheanachor (Arizona State) and Blake Miller (Clemson) seem like the most likely prospects to fall far enough down the board for Las Vegas to make a move on. Otherwise, they will likely take a shot on a developmental player in the middle rounds.
Defensive tackle: Las Vegas is shifting to a 3-4 defensive front, so reloading their defensive tackle room is a must. It is unquestionably the weakest position on the team. But the 2026 draft class is thin at defensive tackle talent, at least in terms of first-round talents. Fortunately, the Raiders may see a player like Caleb Banks (Florida), Lee Hunter (Texas Tech), or Christen Miller (Georgia) fall into their laps at 36th overall.
Cornerback: Taron Johnson, Eric Stokes, and Darien Porter are a solid trio of starters. But the Raiders need long-term answers at the position. The Raiders could be tempted by prospects like Colton Hood (Tennessee) or Brandon Cisse (South Carolina) if they start falling down the draft board. Otherwise, prospects like Malik Muhammad (Texas) or Tacario Davis (Washington) could be options in the middle rounds.
Recent draft history — top picks for the last five years
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
2025: RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State (Round 1, Pick 6)
2024: TE Brock Bowers, Georgia (Round 1, Pick 13)
2023: EDGE Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech (Round 1, Pick 7)
2022: G Dylan Parham, Memphis (Round 3, Pick 90)
2021: T Alex Leatherwood, Alabama (Round 1, pick 17)
Both Jeanty and Bowers still looks like excellent picks by the Raiders. Bowers was a gift at 13th overall and has a bright future in Vegas. Meanwhile, Jeanty will be looking to take a huge leap forward in 2026 as the Raiders deploy a more well-balanced attack on offense.
Sadly, the rest of these picks do not look good.
Wilson looks like a bust entering his fourth season in the NFL. He’s been a solid pro on balance, but certainly has not lived up to his top-10 draft stock.
Las Vegas did not have a first-round pick in 2022 after acquiring Davante Adams from the Packers. As for Parham, he’s become a reliable guard in the NFL. That makes him a solid third-round pick.
Finally, there’s Leatherwood. He is arguably the biggest bust of the bunch, as he has not played in the league since 2024.
The pressure is on GM John Spytek to have another solid draft class in 2026.
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