Holder’s ‘my guy’ at every position Las Vegas Raiders need in 2026 NFL draft
· Yahoo Sports
When John Spytek meets with his scouting staff for the final time before the 2026 NFL draft, each scout will have one last opportunity to pound the table for prospects they want the Las Vegas Raiders to take. While I won’t be in that room and Spytek, undoubtedly, doesn’t care about my opinion, it’s time for me to do a similar exercise with the Silver and Black Pride community since we’re days away from the draft.
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So, below is a look at “my guy” for every position that the Raiders need heading into next weekend, except for quarterback, since the black Fernando Mendoza Raiders jersey is probably already sewn together. The goal here is to focus on players who are further down on most draft boards, as potential Day 2 or 3 options. All draft projections below are via NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board and as of April 15.
Free Safety: Bud ClarkDraft Projection: 86th, 3rd Round
I dove pretty heavily into this year’s safety class, and Clark stood out as the best pure free safety that the Raiders could get on Day 2, assuming Caleb Downs, Dillon Thieneman and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren come off the board on Thursday night. I’m a fan of A.J. Haulcy, too, but I think Haulcy is more of a versatile safety than a true backend defender, and I like the value of Clark at 67 more than the LSU product at 36. Plus, the former Horned Frog’s 15 career interceptions would help solve one of the secondary’s biggest problems.
Nose Tackle: Darrell Jackson Jr.Draft Projection: 80th, 3rd Round
There’s no shortage of nose tackle options in this year’s draft class. Jackson doesn’t have a ton of experience lining up over the center, but he’s long (6-foot-5.5, 34.75-inch arms) and strong to plug up gaps anywhere on the defensive line. Plus, the fact that he has the versatility to play several alignments could allow Rob Leonard to mix up the scheme and use a variety of fronts.
Wide Receiver: Germie BernardDraft Projection: 59th, 2nd Round
To be honest, I wouldn’t mind seeing the Raiders hold off on drafting a wide receiver next weekend and give Jack Bech an opportunity to prove himself next season. However, the team has met with several wideouts throughout the draft process, and I won’t argue that the position group lacks a proven talent. Meanwhile, Bernard seems like Klint Kubiak’s type of receiver, with his ability to win from the slot or out wide and create yards after the catch. Plus, it helps that the Alabama product only had one drop this past season and four in his entire college career, per Pro Football Focus.
Cornerback: Chandler RiversDraft Projection: 106th, 4th Round
I thought about putting D’Angelo Ponds here because I love that guy’s game, partially because I think he can seamlessly go back and forth between the perimeter and the slot. But that felt too chalky since Ponds has become a lot of people’s “guy”. So, I’ll pivot to Rivers, who is cut from the same cloth. The 5-foot-9.5, 185-pound corner’s size may push him into a nickel-only role at the next level, but he has experience and a good track record of covering the boundary. Plus, the former Blue Devil is physical and earned a 70.8 PFF run defense grade last season to help ease the transition inside.
Guard: Beau StephensDraft Projection:156th, 5th Round
After free agency, guard isn’t quite the draft need many thought it would be for Las Vegas. But it’s not out of the question for the club to address the position next weekend, especially on Day 3. Stephens would be an excellent option in that range, partially because he’s an effective zone-run blocker to be a good fit in Kubiak’s offense. Also, the former Hawkeye caught my eye in pass protection during the Senior Bowl by beating Lee Hunter with a snat-and-trap technique several times throughout the week.
Offensive Tackle: Dametrious CrownoverDraft Projection: 94th, 3rd Round
Another standout in Mobile, it was hard to miss the 6-foot-7, 319-pound offensive tackle with 35⅜-inch arms. Crownover was one of the few edge protectors who did himself some favors during the All-Star game, going from ranking 356th on NMDD’s board before the event to 113th the week after it. He’s continued to rise since then, and logged over 1,800 career snaps at right tackle (via PFF) to give the Raiders another potential competitor for DJ Glaze and Charles Grant, if they want to add one.
Linebacker: Taurean YorkDraft Projection: 143rd, 5th Round
Back-to-back Texas A&M prospects, it’s hard to find many flaws with York on the field. He can play the run, earning PFF run defense grades in the 70s in each of the last three seasons, and he finished 2025 with the fifth-best mark in coverage (90.8) among FBS linebackers. However, the 5-foot-11, 226-pound backer significantly lacks NFL size. So, it’s fair to question if York’s numbers will transfer to the next level, but he’s worth taking a flier on in the later rounds of the draft. That could make him an intriguing option for the Raiders, since the defense doesn’t have a pressing need at linebacker after signing Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker in free agency. But Dean and Walker have battled injuries throughout their careers, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to use a pick on a third inside backer.