How should the Raiders address the remaining nine picks of the draft?

HENDERSON, Nev. -- For the Las Vegas Raiders, the luxury of having the No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 NFL draft means they can spend less energy on hypotheticals. They can set the tone for the draft by taking exactly who they want on Thursday night instead of hoping things fall in their favor after the first round.

At this point, it's a foregone conclusion that Las Vegas will use the No. 1 draft choice -- the franchise's first since 2007 -- to take quarterback Fernando Mendoza(Indiana). Even though teams have expressed interest in trading up, the Raiders don't seem too interested in moving off the pick.

The real question is how the Raiders will address the remaining nine picks.

Las Vegas has been aggressive this offseason in patching up significant holes on the roster. Still, the construction is far from complete. The focus remains on building a strong support staff around Mendoza, and it doesn't necessarily mean prioritizing drafting a wide receiver or offensive lineman. Fortifying the defense by adding a starting-caliber player to the defensive line and depth to a thin secondary will be just as beneficial to Mendoza's transition to the next level.

Last year, the Raiders traded back not once but twice in the second round. With six picks inside the top 150, general manager John Spytek is "open to all options" when it comes to moving back and acquiring additional picks.

"I didn't think that we were going to trade down twice in the second round last year, [but] we felt like the trade offers that we got were just too good to pass up," Spytek said at last week's predraft news conference. "And if someone's looking to bail and we think that there's a really high-quality player we can get, we'll certainly consider it. And if someone's offering us too much to not pick, then we'll do that too."

If the Raiders decide to stand pat at No. 36, taking the best defensive player available could be the most logical route for Las Vegas. Under former coach Pete Carroll and coordinator Patrick Graham, the Raiders were inconsistent defensively. They were 25th in points allowed (25.4 per game).

Las Vegas also struggled in getting off the field, ranking 30th in opponents' third-down conversion rate (46.3%) and last in time of possession (32:13). This particular deficiency didn't help a lackluster offense, as the unit consistently played from behind and didn't have enough time to establish momentum.

The Raiders have already made drastic improvements to new defensive coordinator Rob Leonard's group. They added new starters in nickel cornerback Taron Johnson and linebackers Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean. Las Vegas' depth at edge rusher improved with the addition of Kwity Paye and the re-signing of Malcolm Koonce. And let's not forget All-Pro Maxx Crosby being back in the mix after the Ravens nixed the trade agreement that would've sent him to Baltimore last month.

But the Raiders didn't make any additions at defensive tackle outside of re-signing Thomas Booker IV. To that point, it makes sense for the Raiders to use their second-round pick on a tackle like Kayden McDonald (Ohio State) or Christen Miller (Georgia). Las Vegas expressed interest in both players during the predraft process, hosting them for visits.

McDonald, in particular, can be an early-down player on Las Vegas' defensive front. In McDonald -- ranked No. 26 by ESPN's Scouts Inc. -- emerged as one of the nation's top run defenders in 2025. In 16 starts for the Buckeyes, McDonald had a run stop win rate of 7.8%, the best among FBS defensive linemen.

The Raiders taking a safety at some point in the draft seems as certain as selecting Mendoza.

"I think we have three safeties in the roster right now, so it's just a math equation right there. We need a few more," Spytek said.

It wouldn't be surprising if Las Vegas takes at least two safeties in the draft. Defensive back Bud Clark(TCU), a potential third-round target, is a prospect who could compete to be a starting deep safety right away. Clark is a ballhawk who plays with a ton of range. Clark totaled 12 interceptions and 19 pass breakups since 2022 -- the most by an FBS safety during that span.

Another name to monitor is Kamari Ramsey (USC). As a two-year starter for the Trojans, Ramsey alternated between deep safety and nickel cornerback. He spent the majority of the 2025 campaign in the slot, having played 220 snaps at the position compared to 145 at safety. Ramsey could be a fourth-round target for the Raiders, and his versatility would allow him to grow into a chess piece in Leonard's scheme.

"I think historically, if you look for the right things and you find the right guy, that's a spot where you can find quality players maybe later in the draft," Spytek said. "But overall, obviously it's something we've got to attack, and I'm glad the class looks the way it does."

Sticking with the secondary, the Raiders are anticipating cornerback Darien Porter to make strides in Year 2 after starting in 10 of 17 games as a rookie. That shouldn't stop them from adding a player who could compete with Porter to be the starting outside cornerback.

Chris Johnson (San Diego State) is a potential option in the second round if the Raiders don't take a defensive tackle. Meanwhile, Malik Muhammad (Texas), Devin Moore (Florida) and Will Lee III (Texas A&M), all of whom can carve out a significant role in the secondary, could be available early on Day 3.

"I think every room we want to add competition to, and if we feel like adding another corner or another linebacker is in the best interest of us, we'll do it," Spytek said. "We want everybody to earn their spot in the starting lineup."

Offensively, the Raiders have done a ton of homework on the wide receivers in this year's class. They've hosted visits for Chris Bell (Louisville), Ted Hurst (Georgia State), KC Concepcion (Texas A&M) and others. Las Vegas wanted to bring in projected first-round pickOmar Cooper Jr. (Indiana) to the facility, but his schedule was booked, a source told ESPN.

The sense is that the Raiders will take a wideout, despite drafting Dont'e Thornton Jr. and Jack Bech a year ago, and signing Jalen Nailor in free agency. But the Raiders need a big-body pass catcher who can be an X receiver and red zone threat. Wide receiver Denzel Boston(Washington), who stands at 6-foot-4 and caught 11 touchdown passes last season, perfectly fits that role. The only thing is that Boston could very well be picked in the first round.

Pairing Mendoza with his Indiana teammate, Elijah Sarratt, seems like a match made in heaven. Sarratt caught 65 passes for 830 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2025. The two connected quite a bit on those back-shoulder throws that Mendoza enjoys executing. Sarratt is viewed as a third-round prospect.

If the Raiders elect to address their need for a wide receiver later in the draft, Ja'Kobi Lane(USC) is an intriguing prospect. Lane, a two-year starter, has the length and ball skills that make him a reliable red zone target.

It might be hard for Spytek to walk away from the draft without taking an offensive lineman. The additions of Pro Bowl center Linderbaum and guard Spencer Burford don't make this position group as much of a need as it was at the start of the offseason. On top of that, they remain hopeful in unlocking the potential of offensive tackles DJ Glaze and Charles Grant.

But Spytek lives by the philosophy that a team can never have too many offensive linemen, hence the strong possibility of Las Vegas taking a guard and an offensive tackle, even if it's in the later rounds.

"[Offensive line is] such a hard position to acquire," Spytek said. "... It's almost impossible in free agency, especially at certain positions. And just because we've added certain guys through free agency doesn't mean that we won't be looking for offensive linemen, too. I'm on record of saying they're sexy as hell, and I stand by that."

A day before the Raiders are on the clock, Spytek feels he is more equipped to handle the draft after the tough lessons he learned last year. In his first draft as the Raiders' general manager, Spytek admitted to being heavy-handed and having too much control instead of trusting in his staff.

With assistant general manager Brian Stark and vice president of player personnel Brandon Hunt in the building this time around, and new coach Klint Kubiak having a clear vision for the type of players that fit his system, the Raiders are optimistic in their more aligned approach.

"I think I tried to do too much last year, not knowing everybody in the building, having my own vision that I was trying to teach to people about the way we wanted to do it," Spytek said. "And I think it's always important to really have great people around you, empower them to do their jobs [and] to support you as well as they can."br/]