Why Raiders Can't Afford to Overthink Top Pick

The Las Vegas Raiders finally have the first overall pick of the NFL Draft. That is going to be the biggest pick the Raiders make in a long time and certainly the biggest pick since moving the team to Las Vegas.

Their pick holds the biggest and greatest value of the 2026 NFL Draft, and they have to make sure they get it right and go with the player that they best believe will help be a centerpiece and a franchise player for years to come for this organization.

The Raiders will have their football people in on this pick, and the three voices that will be all in with this pick have to be general manager, John Spytek, minority owner Tom Brady, and whoever the Silver and Black hire to be their next head coach.

Those three have to agree with the pick and make sure they are all on the same page on draft day, and after they make that pick. This pick could change the landscape of the franchise for many years to come.

Las Vegas Raiders GM John Spytek | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Raiders No. 1 Pick is Clear

The thing is that the Raiders should not overthink this pick and what they are going to do with it. We are hearing a lot of different things that the Raiders could do with this pick. Many of them are saying the Raiders should trade the pick and get more picks in the future as well.

They have many holes on this team, but that does not mean that letting the No. 1 pick get traded is the right thing to do for a team that has a clear need, and they could address it right away.

That is why the Raiders cannot overthink it and must take a quarterback. The Raiders' biggest need is a quarterback, and that is the pick to take the quarterback they have been looking for.

The Raiders might not get this opportunity again, where they have their choice of their next franchise quarterback. You have to take them well, they are there. You are looking at the most important position in the NFL, and you have a chance to give yourself stability.

Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis | Darrell Craig Harris, On S

The discussion you could have is which quarterback to take, but make sure your first overall pick is a quarterback. The Raiders have a lot of different ways to fill their holes this offseason. But the first overall pick should not be one of them.

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