Raiders Wide Receivers: Pre-Training Camp Position Preview

HENDERSON, Nev.—The Las Vegas Raiders woke up today just over two weeks, 15 days, from the start of training camp, and emotions are running hot for a team anxious to show their fan base they haven't arrived, but they have turned the corner organizationally.

Every year heading into camp we break down each position group. This year is no different.

We tell you exactly what the thought process, scouting reports, and people around the NFL are thinking, and take you inside the process of building a roster.

Jalen Nailor | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

GM John Spytek is obligated to deliver the final 53-man roster to the NFL offices in New York on Sunday, August 30, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. ET (3:00 p.m. PT). Vastly different from the past, when cuts were due on the Tuesday following the final preseason games.

With each review, we will also list a number next to the position group, indicating how many players we project the Raiders will carry at that position on the final 53-man roster.

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Today, we dive into arguably the most intriguing position group on the entire roster: wide receivers. Las Vegas doesn't have a true "star" at the position, but it has several newcomers and veterans with a real chance to make an impact.

Wide Receivers: Six

I believe the Raiders' target number of wide receivers to carry is six. If that stays true, there will be some interesting cuts. The Raiders don’t presently have a traditional WR1.

However, that is not indicative of a roster void of talent at that position. The Raiders have made some interesting additions while staying true to their two-year rebuild. I believe at least two of these players (from the top six) won’t be on the 2028 roster, which is the year the Raiders expect to be a playoff team.

No. 1: Jalen “Speedy” Nailor, 6’0" 199 lbs., 4.50

The Raiders invested big in the native Las Vegan, and while he has to stay healthy, the young man is incredibly talented. The Michigan State Spartan has a repertoire of tremendously precise routes, is an incredibly physical run blocker, which Klint Kubiak craves, and can stretch the field with his speed and awareness. A heads-up player, he didn’t show elite consistency, which some expect to improve without sharing the field with Justin Jefferson.

He had a 15.3-yard-per-catch average last year and was a tremendous sixth overall in separation. The two biggest areas of struggle are 50/50 balls and being physically pressed at the line of scrimmage. He thrives in the Kubiak system but must stay healthy, which has troubled him in the past.

No. 2: Tre Tucker, 5’9” 182 lbs., 4.37

A vertical, speed-first, elite receiver who is dangerous in space. Sudden footwork out of breaks is impressive and is as dangerous horizontally as vertically. Early in his career, he struggled with drops. That isn’t an issue anymore, a testament to his work ethic. For the last two years, what hurt him was that he didn’t have a QB who could hit him in stride. That isn’t on him, and won't be an issue under Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza.

He is a player who struggles with physicality at the line of scrimmage, and as a result, he needs a more accurate QB, as his catch-rate range is narrower than others'. He is a terrific WR2/3 option, and having a QB who can get him the ball anywhere is going to set him up for an amazing 2026.

No. 3: Malik Benson, 6’1” 195 lbs., 4.37

The rookie Oregon Duck was one of the many rookie surprises of the spring. Explosive, vertical big-play WR who adjusts to the ball at the catch point; his hand-eye coordination is impressive. He must improve his upper-body strength to adjust to the tough, line-of-scrimmage physicality he will face in the NFL. The Raiders had a higher ranking than the sixth round when they picked him, but what kept him out of the highest rounds was that he is raw, lacks playmaking after the catch, and lacks physicality.

He is an immediate threat as a punt returner and kick returner. He is going to get elite coaching from WR coach Zach Azzanni, and already, under his tutelage, he has shone early. This was a great 2026 Raiders draft class. When all is said and done, Benson could be the biggest steal.

No. 4: Jack Bech, 6’1” 214 lbs., 4.60

Las Vegas Raiders WR Jack Bech | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Perhaps no Raiders player suffered more in the 2025 collapse of the franchise than Bech. Highly regarded coming out of the draft, he was disappointing, even with very little expectation as a rookie. He is a physical, well-built receiver; he can get the yards after contact and has exceptional hand-eye coordination. He can high-point the football, but doesn’t have elite speed after the catch. Despite a disappointing rookie season, the Raiders want to show him some patience. We will see how he develops under Azzanni.

If he doesn’t, that will be more indicative of him than of the organization, and he could be traded; there is a market for him. Being a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, by pure cap numbers alone, he will get some more grace than his fellow sophomore, Dont’e Thornton. The problem is that the Raiders have accumulated a lot of talent (even without a WR1).

Dec 21, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jack Bech (18) makes a reception as Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (24) defends during the first half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If others show up brighter, the thinking is that he couldn’t be hidden on the practice squad, so a trade would at least bring the Raiders some return on investment. No, and I want to make this very clear: no one is rooting against him. A terrific young man, he just needs to come out on day one of camp and shine.

No. 5: Dareke Young, 6’2” 224 lbs., 4.44

While he is signed for his special-teams talent, he is not an elite WR. Functional strength, he is a functional gunner and straight north-south (straight line) kickoff returner, and has accumulated 27 career special teams tackles. On the backside of the defensive kickoff, he’s an elite special teams talent.

He is fast but stiff when doubled. A terrific blocker as a WR, he has an undefined route-tree and only has four career regular-season catches and one postseason catch. The more other WRs shine as blockers and show ability on special teams, the more Young becomes a potential cut candidate.

Jun 11, 2025; Renton, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Dareke Young (83) is pictured during mini-camp at Virginia Mason Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He was signed to a one-year deal that, if they cut him, would leave the Raiders with only $800K in dead cap space (which is nothing in NFL money), meaning his job is in jeopardy from day one. People lie; contracts don’t. Another place where his job is in jeopardy is when another player steps up in backside kickoff coverage.

No. 6: Dont'e Thornton, 6’5” 205 lbs., 4.30

Las Vegas Raiders WR Dont'e Thornton | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Thornton came out last year on fire in the OTA/Minicamp portion of the season and even early in training camp. Those who have followed my reporting for any amount of time know that once the San Francisco 49ers reported to town for joint practices, he literally disappeared. Evidence of that disappearance, he had a lackluster 10 catches for 135 yards and zero touchdowns. If Malik Benson continues to emerge, Thornton is in trouble, but like Thornton last season, the rookie has to show it.

Perhaps no player’s job is in more jeopardy today on the roster than Thornton's. His dead cap hit would be $600K if the Raiders cut him. Unlike Bech, there is a chance, not a guarantee, because of his size and speed, that he could be hidden on the practice squad. He must come out on day one of camp on fire. Like Bech, there is no one in the organization rooting against the young man; this is all business.

No. 7: E.J. Williams Jr., 6’3” 205 lbs., 4.5

Up front, I can tell you that if he doesn’t make the 53-man roster, I will be surprised. He is a gamer and a talented individual. Broad jumper, 10’7”, and has a wide catch radius. Consistently wins the 50/50 balls and can stretch the field. He is unafraid of physical contact. He has to improve his ability to get in and out of breaks. He lacks fluidity and sharp transitions when cutting. If you don’t understand the difference between cutting and breaks, they're similar but represent different things.

Breaking is a quick deceleration and change of direction at the stem of a route (similar to snapping down to turn on a curl or hitch). Cutting is an explosive, single-step in-and-out foot plant used to change direction while maintaining speed (similar to a hard angle change on a slant or post). In a nutshell, breaking involves stopping your momentum, while cutting involves redirecting it without losing speed.

No. 8: Phillip Dorsett II, 5’10” 185 lbs., 4.33

In a rebuild like the Raiders', if Dorsett made the roster, I think it would disappoint everyone not named Dorsett. Not because he is a bad guy or a bad player; neither is true. A great presence in the locker room, a terrific human and talented, the reality is that he is 33 years old, and time catches up with everyone. He is no longer a primary weapon and is an emergency depth option at best.

Things That Make You Say 'HMMM….'

I believe the Thornton, Williams, and Young trio will battle for the fifth and sixth roster spots. This ranking is based on today, but does not reflect where I think it will be once the season starts. Additionally, this doesn’t account for the other talented players we will preview next, who offer unique skill sets and are competing for either a roster spot or a spot on the practice squad.

Others on the Roster

Shedrick Jackson | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

NAME	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	40 YARD-DASH
Shedrick Jackson	6'1"	198	4.25
Brandon Johnson	6'2"	195	4.43
Chase Roberts	6'4"	210	4.57
Jonathan Brady	5'10"	183	4.39
Corey Rucker	6'2"	213	4.38
Justin Shorter	6'4"	227	4.55

Previous Position Reviews

Raiders Tight Ends: Pre-Training Camp Position Preview

Raiders Running Backs: Pre-Training Camp Position Preview

Fernando Mendoza | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Raiders Quarterbacks: Pre-Training Camp Position Preview

Don’t Miss Our Raiders Podcast on the WRs

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