The Las Vegas Raiders have plenty of holes on the offensive line to address this offseason, both in the starting lineup and in terms of depth. Where all of their versatile pieces fit together will be determined by the team's new head coach and offensive line coach.
But Oregon guard Emmanuel Pregnon should be on the Raiders' radar on Day 2 of April's draft, regardless.
Pregnon has taken a circuitous route to the NFL, but the ever-improving guard should be an immediate impact player at the next level. He's had no issue moving up the ranks in college, so a seamless transition to the pros should be in store for him in the coming months.
Oregon G Emmanuel Pregnon 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Notes:
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 318 pounds
Expected 40 Yard Dash Time: 5.20
Recruiting: Unranked two-star prospect in 2020 recruiting class. Initially played at Wyoming before transferring to USC, and eventually, to Oregon. Freshman All-American at Wyoming. First-Team All-American at Oregon.
College Production: 53 career games, 2,858 total snaps. Gave up 1 sack in college career, 0 since Week 2 of 2022. 11 career penalties, but only 2 as a senior.
Positives:
- Excels in both run and pass game. No issues in combo blocks or getting to the second level in run game. Great arm length and strike timing in pass protection, always makes first contact.
- Heavy hands and great grip strength. Powerful first punch, and when he gets a hold of defenders, he rarely lets them go. Cleaned up handsy penalties in 2025.
- Powerful blocker with a strong anchor. Brick wall against bull rushes with the lower body and core strength to be a mover in the run game.
- Experience shows up with his intelligence. Passes off blocks well, rarely beaten on stunts. Played in multiple systems, so he is adaptable. Thrived in gap and zone schemes.
- Can move on outside zones or pulling concepts. Has violent mentality and finishes plays.
Pregnon possesses many of the traits that modern NFL offenses covet in an interior offensive lineman. A rare combination of pure power, refined technique, experience, smarts and mobility, Pregnon can impact an offense in several ways. He should have no issues with professional defensive tackles.
Negatives:
- Does not possess elite athleticism. Can move effectively, but his upper body gets stiff, and he can struggle against twitchier pass-rushers or linebackers on blitzes.
- Balance can be an issue, as his length and desire to strike first can actually work against him, causing him to lunge and overextend. His aggression can be used against him in the run game
- Only plays guard. Typically, a team would want an interior offensive lineman to have experience playing at multiple positions, but he was pigeonholed at LG after 2022.
- Older prospect, so perhaps less upside. Doesn't matter as much for offensive linemen, and he brings a wealth of experience, but he is already in his mid-20s.
Pregnon is a very polished prospect, but he lacks versatility and needs to focus on correcting just a few small errors. His issues are born of his strengths, as he can sometimes overestimate his power and length, which causes him to get out of position. But these should be relatively easy fixes for a qualified NFL offensive line coach.
Emmanuel Pregnon NFL Player Comparison: Tate Ratledge
Both Raledge and Pregnon were big guards with little versatility coming out of college. Power at the point of attack and great hands and grip strength were considered strengths for these players, as were their powerful anchor, strong IQ and ability to work in combo blocks and protect the passer.
A nasty demeanor also defined these two players in college, but both got overaggressive and struggled with quicker rushes at times, and neither had top-end athleticism. That said, Ratledge has performed quite well at the NFL level, and Pregnon should be expected to do the same.
Emmanuel Pregnon NFL Draft Grade: Top-50 selection
Pregnon may not have the versatility or elite athleticism to thrust him into first-round conversations, but you'd be hard-pressed to find an area of the game that he isn't at least adequate in. It'll be hard for opposing NFL teams to pick on the young offensive lineman in any way.
Relatively early in Round 2 seems like the range for Pregnon at this point, so perhaps Las Vegas could land him in a trade back. 36 might be a tad too early. Free agency acquisitions and Pregnon's showing at the combine could affect his stock, of course, but he seems locked in as a prime Day 2 prospect.