Entering the NFL Draft, one of the Las Vegas Raiders ’ biggest needs was wide receiver. They selected a pass catcher — but not until the sixth round. While their draft has been praised , with good reason, the Raiders couldn’t address every need.
For a team that desperately needs a go-to option for quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s future , waiting until pick No. 195 says a lot about where general manager John Spytek stands on the current roster. Let’s take a look at where the room stands and who could emerge as the playmaker they’ll need in 2026
The Raiders used 2nd-and 4th-round picks on Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr. last year. The duo combined for 30 receptions and 359 yards as rookies — not exactly eye-popping stuff. In fact, both will feel added pressure as they enter training camp later this summer.
Beyond that, Tre Tucker led the team with 57 receptions for 696 yards and five touchdowns in 2024 — a modest stat line that figures to be a baseline, not a ceiling, under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Tucker’s speed is a plus, but he hasn’t done anything in the course of his career to establish himself as a key receiver, even in the slot.
Free agency additions filled out the depth chart without solving the core problem. Jalen Nailor , who spent time in Minnesota with Kirk Cousins , averaged roughly 440 receiving yards each of the past two seasons with 10 combined touchdowns, as the fourth receiver behind Justin Jefferson , Adam Thielen , and Jordan Addison . Not exactly WR1 sort of potential.
Dareke Young , a special teams standout in Seattle , and veteran Phillip Dorsett — a Super Bowl champion who spent last season on Atlanta ’s practice squad and hasn’t appeared in a regular-season game in two years — round out the group. Sedrick Jackson and Brendan Rice have minimal NFL track records.
The room is versatile and well-rounded. It is not deep with proven pass catchers.
Also read: Las Vegas Raiders Draft Recap: Getting to know the picks, including Fernando Mendoza
Nobody has locked down the No. 1 spot yet and that’s actually an opportunity. The question is who steps up and makes Kubiak’s offense run through them.
The dominoes start falling at training camp. Chemistry with Mendoza and Cousins, learning Kubiak’s system , carving out roles — all of it gets sorted between now and September.
Bech and Tucker are the most likely candidates to lead the group, but don’t expect them to look the same as they did in Chip Kelly’s offense a year ago. The scheme is different, the quarterback is different and the opportunity in front of them is bigger.
Kubiak’s offense thrives on versatility. In Seattle last season, Smith-Njigba was the engine , lining up outside, in the slot and in the backfield and turning jet sweeps into chunk gains. He was everywhere, and defenses couldn’t pin him down.
The Raiders don’t have a Smith-Njigba. But Tucker plays a similar style: quick, shifty and dangerous in space. That makes him the most natural fit for that role in Kubiak’s system.
Without a true No. 1 receiver on the roster, Kubiak is betting on his current group to produce. The blueprint is clear: recreate Smith-Njigba’s versatility and production, just with the pieces already in the building.
Also read: Las Vegas Raiders’ 2026 Draft Pick ‘May Never Play Football Again’
Malik Benson arrives in Las Vegas with legitimate production. He led Oregon in receiving last season with 43 catches for 716 yards and six touchdowns, lining up outside, in the slot and turning touch passes into jet sweep gains — the exact kind of versatility Kubiak is looking for.
Benson’s calling card is speed — he ran a 10.4-second 100 meters in high school and it shows up on tape. He tracks the deep ball cleanly at full stride, forces safeties to respect his vertical presence and creates separation without relying on 50/50 balls.
At Oregon, his intermediate and deep route production took a significant leap, and his catch rate climbed while drops nearly disappeared. He’s not a short-area weapon or a run blocker, but in a system that wants to push the ball downfield, he can tilt coverages in ways that benefit every receiver around him.
Not only will Benson have chances in the offense, but also on special teams. He was the Ducks’ punt returner last year. He had a breakout season as a punt returner, totaling nine returns for 161 yards, including an 85-yard punt return touchdown.
He’s not walking in and taking over. But come roster cuts, four months of reps will do the talking.
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