Scouting Report: KC Concepcion has WR1 traits the Raiders need

While he may not be the top wide receiver draft prospect this year, KC Concepcion possesses traits that the Las Vegas Raiders should seriously consider.

Day 2 is where the drama really starts for the Raiders this year, as we all know Fernando Mendoza will be the No. 1 pick. General manager John Spytek and Klint Kubiak appear to be in sync thus far and while the defense saw plenty of reinforcements come in via free agency, the offense could see a talent infusion through the draft.

Pairing Mendoza with a young wideout should theoretically be at the top of the list for Spytek. That’s where Concepcion comes in.

For a while, nobody quite knew what to do with Concepcion or how to describe him. Being relegated to a gadget receiver was the easy answer. A situational chess piece who needed the ball manufactured into his hands.

He’s been proving that wrong ever since.

• Concepcion doesn’t have burner speed, his catch radius won’t scare anyone, and his hands let him down seven times in 2025. On paper, there are easier receivers to fall in love with in this draft class.
• But once the ball is in his hands, the game slows down for him and speeds up for everyone trying to tackle him. He recorded 320 rushing yards at 7.8 yards per carry as a freshman at NC State and took two punts to the house in 2025. When defenders think they have him cornered, they usually don’t.
• His routes are sneaky good. He doesn’t blow past corners. He moves them. Quick feet, sharp cuts, and a feel for finding soft spots in zone coverage that takes most receivers years to develop.
• The versatility is what makes him genuinely dangerous. Hand it to him, screen it to him, and motion him pre-snap. Every time he touches the ball, a defense has to account for something different.

The drops need to clean up. The speed ceiling is what it is. But the playmaking ability is real, and in today’s NFL, that’s usually enough to find a home fast. Even the legendary Al Davis would get behind this selection if he were alive.

Issues that the Raiders should take note of…

The concerns surrounding KC Concepcion aren’t made up. They’re on tape, and NFL teams will find them.

• The drops are the biggest issue. Concepcion has a habit of thinking about what he’s going to do after the catch before he actually catches the ball. Catch it first; make people miss second. When he does that, the big plays take care of themselves.
• His size is the next conversation. Concepcion is on the leaner side and doesn’t have the longest arms, which becomes a problem when a big, physical cornerback gets his hands on him at the catch point. Some evaluators will look at his frame and decide he can only ever be a slot receiver.
• Run-blocking is still a work in progress. Until he cleans up his technique against defenders on the perimeter, NFL coaches won’t fully trust him on early downs.

None of this is a reason to write him off. Most of it can be fixed. But in the NFL, “can be fixed” and “has been fixed” are two very different things. Luckily for Concepcion, Kubiak’s body of work when it comes to receivers is outstanding. He already has some promising young talent to work on the Raiders but Concepcion could turn into a special player under the young offensive guru.