What Raiders Must Come Away from NFL Draft with

But the Raiders have nine other picks in the draft, so putting together the best possible class should be front of mind for Spytek. What should he hope to find from this draft?

Let's identify three things Spytek and the Raiders could come away with in this draft that would make it successful.

Multiple starters

With double-digit draft picks, Las Vegas has plenty of opportunities to find players who should earn starter-level snaps.

The Raiders have needs at the most important positions of value, so they could land eventual starters at offensive tackle, cornerback, and wide receiver in the first three rounds of the draft. Those positions have been issues for the Silver and Black in the past few seasons.

Spytek and his scouting department have done their homework on this draft class, and finding players who are ready to help accelerate the rebuild is an absolute must.

Contingency plans

The Raiders have a few impending free agents at important positions, so finding potential replacements is a smart idea.

Malcolm Koonce, Tyree Wilson, Isaiah Pola-Mao, and Jeremy Chinn are all set to be free agents after the 2026 season, so the Raiders may have multiple holes at edge rusher and safety. This class is full of those positions, so Las Vegas should consider several players for those roles.

The Raiders don't want to be left in the dark when free agency rolls around next season, so having replacements in-house if any of the aforementioned players leave would be safe and smart.

A diamond in the rough

Sometimes, a player is selected on the third day of the draft, and they end up as some of the best players in the league. Maxx Crosby, Fred Warner, and Puka Nacua come to mind in recent years.

The Raiders hope they can find another one of those players, but they aren't guys you know will be stars when you take them. They're dart throws and developmental outliers at times, but good scouting can balance those out.

Georgia State wide receiver Ted Hurst has gained buzz and has seen his draft stock improve, but he could be a slept-on player who breaks out as a star in the league. The Raiders have met with him, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, and he fits the mold of a player who can be a gem in the late rounds.

Lucking into a star doesn't happen to a lot of teams, but the Raiders deserve it after so many years of struggle.