The No. 36 pick is seemingly what fans of the Las Vegas Raiders are focused on at this point, and for good reason. With Fernando Mendoza a foregone conclusion to kick off the event, the intrigue for the organization and fanbase becomes what their next move will be in the second round.
As I have said time and time again, the Raiders almost can't go wrong because the roster still needs help at so many spots. While that may make it difficult for John Spytek and Co. to narrow their board, it also makes a player or two getting plucked from beneath them less pressing or ruinous.
And while Spytek has developed a reputation in just one draft as someone who likes to trade back on Day 2, several pundits have suggested that Las Vegas should aggressively move back into Round 1 to select any number of great prospects worthy of a top-32 pick.
But the latest intel says that that isn't going to happen, as Raider Nation suspected all along.
Pair of ESPN NFL insiders think Las Vegas Raiders won't trade back into Round 1
ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller and national insider Jeremy Fowler teamed up for a final mock draft on Wednesday, and their first-round pick for the Silver and Black was who everyone expected. Included in the description, though, was an interesting bit about the Raiders' potential to trade back into Day 1.
"There are no surprises coming at No. 1: Mendoza will be the first selection and the Raiders are thrilled to have him. The biggest question might be what the Raiders plan to do with their remaining nine picks. I'm told the Raiders don't anticipate a move back into Round 1 from pick No. 36 given the lack of players with a true first-round grade in this class. The Raiders view any player available late in Round 1 as similarly graded to the players who will be available at 36."
Spytek loves his picks, and it costs a lot to move up even a few spots from No. 36 to get back into the first round. Given how many holes Las Vegas still needs to fill on its roster, barring an unforeseen prospect falling, the Raiders are better off keeping their litany of picks and standing pat in Round 2.
While it is enticing to think about a player like Omar Cooper Jr., Kayden McDonald or KC Concepcion sliding to the second round, the cost might outweigh the benefit to Spytek, Klint Kubiak and the rest of the Silver and Black's decision-makers.
If Spytek and the front office seemingly have similar grades on players in that range, that is even more reason not to gamble for one player in particular. It's actually an argument, if the board falls their way, to trade back if they can thread the needle and get more picks, but not drop too far.
Trading back into Round 1 is typically reserved for two kinds of teams: One would need a young signal-caller and wouldn't want to risk getting leapfrogged for them by another quarterback-needy team in the early part of Day 2. But Las Vegas will get its guy with the first pick.
The second kind of team is one with a very good roster that is in a Super Bowl-contending window and on the prowl for that missing piece. With all their eggs in the 2026 or 2027 basket, they would rather have the exact player they want than more picks down the line. That's not the Raiders, either.
So, as fans suspected all along, it doesn't sound like the Silver and Black will be lighting off any fireworks toward the end of Round 1. Other than waiting to see which players may be available for Las Vegas or stolen from them, Raider Nation may have to wait until Friday evening for more action.
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