John Spytek has proven to be a bright young general manager in just over a year at the helm for the Las Vegas Raiders. He learned from his mistakes in last year's free agency, his inaugural rookie class looks strong, he's made good trades, hired a seemingly good coach and weathered tons of adversity.
But it takes more than one year or two good offseasons to help a team like the Raiders crawl out of the AFC West gutter, and even longer to build a true contender. Las Vegas may appear to be well on its way, but one big mistake or two can change the entire trajectory of the franchise.
The 2026 NFL Draft will be Spytek's next chance to shine, and he is set up for success. After making the obvious choice of Fernando Mendoza at No. 1, however, no shortage of pitfalls await the second-year general manager. Here's a few classic traps that Spytek needs to avoid later this month.
Las Vegas Raiders can't afford to fall into these classic draft traps
1. Trading back into Round 1, but giving up too much capital
Las Vegas is clearly doing a lot of homework on prospects who should be available in the late-first or early-second round. Currently sitting at No. 36, it would be easy to mortgage some capital and move up the board slightly to get a player who they feel is a game-changer
But plenty of good players will be available in that range, at positions of need, no less. The Raiders, who need all the picks they can get to keep building the roster, can't overextend to land a prospect unless they feel he is "can't-miss," especially if the price is high, like a future Day 1 selection.
2. Trading down too far in Round 2 and missing out on another elite player
Spytek, in just one draft, developed a reputation for someone who likes to trade back on Day 2. And while getting more picks is certainly a big priority for him, and it should be with the amount of holes Las Vegas has on the roster, the Raiders can't drop too far and miss out on a potentially elite talent.
This is the flip side of the coin from pitfall No. 1, as a balance needs to be struck between getting more picks and getting a very good player who may fall into their lap at No. 36. It'll be enticing for Spytek to trade back and have more darts to throw, but don't leave a bullseye on the board.
3. Drafting players with character concerns or not vetting prospects enough
More often than not, teams swing and miss on the person more than the player. Some guys are incredibly talented but just don't have it between the ears or in their hearts to be a great NFL player, and that is not something that the Raiders should roll the dice on.
The front office has put a premium on drafting and signing high-character players, so this shouldn't be an issue. But sometimes great players drop in the draft and teams hope that they can be the one to fix them. They justify it as the value being too good to pass up. But that can't be Las Vegas.
4. Drafting players with a nasty injury history
It is hard to hold something like injuries against a player. But your best ability is availability, and if they can't be sure that he'll be on the field, the Raiders have no business drafting said player. Now, to be fair, no two injuries are the same, and football is a violent game. Everyone gets hurt.
But players who are chronically sidelined or have degenerative issues (too soon?) should probably be avoided, at least in the early rounds. Wellness Coordinator Alex Guerrero is supposed to be great at his job, but he's not a miracle worker.
5. Focusing only on the 2026 roster
When looking at the roster, it is easy to look at things through the lens of just this upcoming season. But if the Raiders are to become the thoughtful and savvy kind of franchise that wins championships, they need to be thinking at least one year ahead.
Drafting instant starters is always a great thing. But having a backup plan or getting ahead of a potential free agent hole in 2027, like a backup tight end or a starting strong safety, is how the best organizations in the league look at things. Las Vegas should follow suit.
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