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.
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.
#RaiderNation I just made my first ever Horizontal Big Board, which shows which other options might still be available in each round by each position based on the types of players they need at each position. Over 200 players on ranked horizontally.MORE: https://t.co/mPRbPwfSsK pic.twitter.com/jMFtQ5H5mK
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.
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.