HENDERSON, Nev. — The 2026 NFL draft has begun in Pittsburgh. The three-day event concludes on Saturday with Rounds 4-7 (noon ET).
The Las Vegas Raiders kicked things off Thursday night when they selected quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick. And they started Day 2 by addressing their need at safety with Treydan Stukes.
A full list of Raiders’ selections are below and will be updated with pick-by-pick analysis through the weekend.
My take: Mendoza joining the Raiders felt like a foregone conclusion after he led Indiana to a national championship victory over Miami. He has the size and frame at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds to be an NFL quarterback. He is accurate and is a good decision-maker, which are two traits that Raiders coach Klint Kubiak wants from a quarterback. For years, the Raiders have struggled to find a long-term answer at quarterback. Mendoza has the potential to solve this issue.
Key stat: Mendoza was stellar in the red zone for the Hoosiers in 2025, throwing 27 touchdowns and no interceptions. He also completed 73% of his passes — the third-highest rate in the FBS.
Ties to the team to know: Mendoza will be playing for minority owner Tom Brady, whom he has idolized since he started playing football. Mendoza said on “The Rich Eisen Show” that it would mean the world to play for Brady. The former New England Patriots quarterback met with Mendoza at the facility on April 7 and is expected to be a mentor for the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.
What’s next: The Raiders have many directions they can take with their Day 2 picks. Las Vegas has needs at defensive tackle, cornerback, safety, offensive tackle and wide receiver. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Raiders take defensive players in the second and third rounds because of a lack of depth on that side of the ball. Las Vegas traded back twice during last year’s draft. The Raiders could very well trade back again to obtain more picks.
Round 2, No. 38 overall: Treydan Stukes, S, Arizona
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What Treydan Stukes brings to the Raiders
What Treydan Stukes brings to the Raiders
My take: In a deal with the Texans, the Raiders traded back to No. 38 and drafted Stukes, who fills a major need at safety. Stukes can play multiple spots, he took 363 snaps at slot cornerback and 161 at safety last season. He can make plays on the ball, totaling seven interceptions and 21 pass breakups in 55 career games.
Will he start as a rookie?: The Raiders entered the draft with only three safeties on the roster. With that said, Stukes comes to Las Vegas with a strong opportunity to play a meaningful role in the secondary immediately. In addition to his playmaking ability, Stukes has tremendous acceleration and closing speed, which Las Vegas needs in the back end of the field. Las Vegas can line him up as a deep safety or slide him to nickel.
Round 3, No. 67 overall: Keyron Crawford, Edge, Auburn
My take: This pick is a bit surprising. The Raiders needed help at defensive tackle, cornerback, wide receiver and offensive line. But instead they took Crawford, despite signing Kwity Paye and bringing back Malcolm Koonce. Crawford will be a solid player in the Raiders’ edge rusher rotation. He played his first two seasons at Arkansas State before transferring to Auburn. Crawford’s numbers improved from Year 1 to Year 2 with the Tigers. After he totaled 23 pressures and no sacks in 2024, Crawford collected 36 pressures and five sacks last season.
A team can never have enough edge rushers. But the Raiders could’ve used this pick to address more pressing needs.
Is this pick for depth or does it fill a hole? For now, this pick is for depth. But Crawford has the potential to develop into a starter down the road. Koonce is playing on a one-year deal. Meanwhile, the Raiders have yet to pick up Tyree Wilson‘s fifth-year option of $14.5 million, meaning he’s expected to hit free agency in 2027. It’s also worth noting that Maxx Crosby could be the subject of trade talks during the deadline.
Round 3, No. 91 overall: Trey Zuhn III, C, Texas A&M
My take: Zuhn comes to Las Vegas with experience at multiple positions on the offensive line. He played 3,021 career snaps at left tackle and 124 at center — all coming in 2025. He was named 2025 First-Team All-SEC and shared the SEC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy (top blocker in the conference) with Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor. The Raiders announced him as a guard, a position best-suited for him in the NFL. Las Vegas already has starters in center Tyler Linderbaum, left tackle Kolton Miller and right guard Jackson Powers-Johnson. Zuhn could compete with Caleb Rogers and Spencer Burford for the left guard spot. Still, he provides solid depth on the offensive line.
Key stat: Zuhn decreased his pressure rate over the course of his college career. He went from having a pressure rate of 6% in 2022 to 2.2% in 2025 — fourth best among left tackles in the SEC. He also allowed just 12 sacks in 1,702 career pass blocking snaps.
What’s next: The Raiders still need a defensive tackle, cornerback, wide receiver and running back. Adding another safety wouldn’t hurt, either. There are still some quality pass catchers available such as Elijah Sarratt, Skyler Bell and Deion Burks. But the options at defensive tackle are thinning out. There is the question of whether Las Vegas would take the gamble and draft Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy if he is still available. Concerns with McCoy’s knee have led him to fall to Day 3, but he is a first-round talent who can improve the Raiders’ secondary if he pans out.
Remaining picks:
Round 4: No. 102
Round 4: No. 134
Round 5: No. 175
Round 6: No. 185
Round 6: No. 208
Round 7: No. 219
