Ranking the Raiders' Best 2026 Players: No. 21

The Raiders have put together one of the best offseasons in some time, finding ways, both big and small, to revamp their roster as much as reasonably possible. Las Vegas has used a strong offseason to position itself for a 2026 season that should be better than recent seasons.

Raiders' Reset

The Raiders have a long way to go before they reach where they ultimately hope to be. However, it is clear that they are headed in the right direction. Las Vegas has fixed its coaching staff and is in the process of finally fixing its roster.

Over the next few weeks, we will rank the top 30 players on the Raiders' roster. There will be no rookies on this list, as it is impossible to make the list with zero regular-season snaps.

Ranking the Raiders: No. 21, OL Jackson Powers-Johnson

Arguably, one of the most significant questions facing the new-look Raiders this offseason will be the construction and performance of their offensive line. Last season, Las Vegas produced arguably the worst offensive line in the National Football League. This led to a lost 2025 campaign.

Las Vegas' offensive line entered this offseason's workout programs looking to prove how far they have come, especially after the addition of Tyler Linderbaum. Yet, the return of Powers-Johnson to full health, and most would assume, the starting lineup, is also a significant part of the offseason.

The issues the Raiders' offensive line faced last season were multifaceted. Along with poor coaching from their positional coach and a long list of injuries, including to Powers-Johnson and veteran offensive tackle Kolton Miller, the unit faced other critical questions.

Much of last season was spent figuring out what position Powers-Johnson fit the best in before his injury. That, along with several other questions, has been answered. Now, as Miller recently explained, Las Vegas' offensive line must begin working together off the field to be better on it.

“I mean, first you got to be open. Open with your time, reaching out, or it could be just the little points you give them, but also it can go both ways, young guys ask things, you fill them in as best you can," Miller said.

"The camaraderie piece, again, taking spending time outside, spend an extra bit of time after practice, after meetings to meet with the rooks. I always try to be open to that, always try to be available and get the best I can out of the group."

The Raiders seem to have answered most of the questions facing their offensive line. Essentially, every starting position on the unit has already been figured out, yet the future of Powers-Johnson and the guard position still appears somewhat up in the air.

Kolton Miller and DJ Glaze have secured the two tackle positions. Linderbaum addresses the center position. However, between Powers-Johnson, Spencer Burford, and Caleb Rogers, the Raiders have multiple guards who can solidify the two starting guard positions.

Powers-Johnson's talent has never been in question, as he was entered last season as one of the top up-and-coming young offensive linemen in the league. Still, his ability to stay healthy and stay mentally connected to the game at all times has been in question for some time.

At the start of the offseason, one of Las Vegas' two offensive guard positions was assumed to be Powers-Johnson's to lose. As training camp approaches, it has become evident that the competition for those two starting positions has ramped up. Burford and Rogers have increased the competition.

"[Rogers is] a guy that keeps working, keeps improving. All those guys in that position, it's a really enjoyable room to be around, because every day they're helping each other, and they really push each other. In the mornings, I love to go in and see those guys, and maybe I get a joke out of one of the guys, but they're in there, they put in time, extra time,” Raiders offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko said.  

“So, whether it's Caleb [Rogers] or any of the other guys in the room, just seeing the effort that they're putting into growing their mental and physical abilities, growing their conditioning, all the stuff that we hope to build through this OTA period, so we can ramp up into training camp."

Powers-Johnson is unquestionably one of the best athletes the Raiders have on their roster. He is a starting-caliber offensive lineman in the National Football League. Yet he will only live up to that potential if he stays healthy and fully understands the mental side of the game.

Powers-Johnson has a chance to solidify himself with the Raiders, but he also has a chance to be passed by other players who are arguably less physically talented than he is. This is the conundrum Powers-Johnson and the Raiders are in together at the moment.

As Las Vegas looks to turn over a new leaf under head coach Klint Kubiak, Powers-Johnson's immediate and long-term future remains a looming question. The lineman undoubtedly possesses the physical skill set to be productive in the league.

However, the league is filled with examples of physically talented players who were unable to live up to their potential because they could not figure out the mental aspect of the game. As talented as Powers-Johnson is, it would be a shame if he became another example.

As it stands, Powers-Johnson still has a potentially bright future in the league, and it is still fair to assume, at the moment, that it will be with the Raiders. However, as Powers-Johnson figured out last season, things change fast in the league. He must continue to develop into the player most believe he can be.

It goes without saying that Powers-Johnson is entering a pivotal season in his young career.