Second-Round Draft Prospects Who Could be Day 1 Raiders Starters

The chances of the Las Vegas Raiders letting their 2026 draft class sit on the sidelines for most of the season like they did with their 2025 draft class is slim to none. With 10 draft picks and a coaching staff ready to bring about change, the Raiders will look to add, and use, as much talent as possible.

The Raiders' last few second-round picks have consisted of Jack Bech, Jackson Powers-Johnson, Michael Mayer, and Tre'von Moehrig. The jury is still out on Bech, but it is fair to question if he will pan out. Powers-Johnson should be solid in the long run. Mayer has potential and Moehrig is gone.

The Raiders' second round pick will not get mentioned as much as the No. 1 overall pick, for understandable reasons. However, Las Vegas' second round pick is vital for multiple reasons. Their roster needs an extreme amount of help. Las Vegas has had little impact from their past second round picks.

Las Vegas has had little impact from their past second round picks. They need their 2026 second round pick to make an immediate impact. Below are a few players that will likely be on the Raiders' list of second round players to choose from, many of whom would start from the very beginning.

EDGE Keldric Faulk

The Raiders need edge rushers, depending on their plans with Malcolm Koonce and Maxx Crosby, edge rushers could be one of the top needs on the roster. Only the Raiders' front office know their plans for those two veterans, though.

Faulk's physical measurables are eerily similar to Tyree Wilson, but he appears to be further along developmentally. Whoever the Raiders draft in the second round must be ready to go, regardless of position.

Texas Tech DL Lee Hunter

Hunter is unlikely to make it past the second round of the draft. Depending on how other teams approach the draft, Las Vegas will likely have ample opportunity to select Hunter early in the second round. If they did, he would undoubtedly start immediately.

Still, it seems unlikely the Raiders take him with the No. 36 pick, only because they have such pressing needs elsewhere. However, defensive tackle could become more of a priority under Defensive Coordinator Rob Leonard.

Indiana WR Omar Cooper

Las Vegas added wide receivers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton through the draft last offseason. However, neither made much of an impact, as much of the 2025 draft class failed to get on the field under former head coach Pete Carroll. Bech and Thornton will continue to improve under Kubiak.

Yet the Raiders simply need more explosiveness from their wide receivers. If a solid wide receiver was available in the second or third round, especially one Mendoza is familiar with, it would be hard to imagine the Raiders passing on that receiver or that receiver not being a starter on day one.

Texas LB Anthony Hill

The Raiders need young, athletic linebackers that can move. Hill is a player that has shown he possesses those traits. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound linebacker registered the sixth-highest athleticism and production score of any linebacker at the combine, according to NFL Next Gen stats.

He is considered a three-down linebacker, which the Raiders need multiple of. Hill could slide to the second round. The Raiders are in no position to pass on talented linebackers, especially with their change to a 3-4 defense. Hill, or any linebacker the Raiders draft would likely start on day one.

What Las Vegas decides to do with their second-round pick is worth keeping an eye on, as it is arguably a more valuable pick than a second-round pick usually is. Las Vegas' need for talent and lack of impact from

At the combine, Raiders General Manager John Spytek explained what his goal is this offseason. The Raiders have their head coach and will presumably secure their quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Still, the Raiders must rebuild multiple other positions on both sides of the ball.

"Well, I think our job in the personnel department is give Klint [Kubiak] as many good players as we can that fit his vision and his scheme. But I think one of the things we really liked about Klint was he's got a system that highlights what the players can do,” Spytek said.

“He talked a lot about that in the interviews. And so, our job is to use that and go forward with that and just get him quality people and football players that that can bring this offense to life.

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