The Raiders' Day 2 Closer Could Be Their Most Important Pick

The Las Vegas Raiders are ending the second day of the draft with the 67th selection. Here's why that might be one of their most important selections of the draft.

Dec 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Thomas Booker IV (99) in the tunnel against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders only have one draft pick in each of the first three rounds. In the fourth round alone, they have three draft picks thanks to compensatory picks. That means for the first two days of the NFL Draft, the Raiders have to think carefully about their selections.

Not that John Spytek doesn't have to think about their selections for the third day in its entirety, but they have a bigger likelihood of throwing their selections at the wall and seeing what sticks. How can they wrap up round three with a defensive home run?

Defensive Options in the Third Round

Sep 14, 2024; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Auburn Tigers nose tackle Keyron Crawford (24) against the New Mexico Lobos at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images | John Reed-Imagn Images

The Raiders may have the 67th overall pick, but there's nothing funny about them looking at Keyron Crawford as an edge rusher. He played both basketball and football in college, with his athleticism shining through in both. Whenever the ball is snapped, Crawford is on a one-track highway straight to the quarterback.

That tunnel vision will lead to him getting knocked out of plays by an offensive lineman with a strong center of gravity, but it'll also lead to him breaking down the pocket quicker, which the rest of their defensive line can take advantage of. He would play next to Maxx Crosby as well, which will give him plenty of opportunities to beat the man in front of him in a one-on-one.

Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Duke defensive back Chandler Rivers (DB28) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

The Raiders did a good job of addressing their secondary when they brought back Eric Stokes, and they now have a young core of him and Darien Porter to guard receivers. They can give their secondary more depth by looking at Chandler Rivers, a player who plays well above his 5’ 9 185 lbs size.

His size will create mismatches when paired up against bigger receivers, but he's a smart cornerback who's capable of making plays on the ball. Taron Johnson is a great veteran nickel back for 2026, but Rivers can sit for the majority of his rookie season so he can get adjusted to NFL size and competition before becoming the starter later.

Oct 25, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils defensive back Keith Abney II (1) against the Houston Cougars at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Another cornerback they should consider is Keith Abney II, who plays extremely similarly to Johnson. He has good instincts and is aggressive in man coverage, but that aggressiveness will lead to some unnecessary penalties downfield.

Another problem of his is that he's so keyed into his man, it's easy to take him out of a play with a double move. He's yet another nickel back who would benefit from a year on the bench.