The biggest move of the Las Vegas Raiders' offseason was, no doubt, the selection of Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick. To some, the success of the franchise will now lie on the rookie quarterback's shoulders, as many expect him to lead the organization back to greatness.
It is clear, however, that outside of Mendoza, John Spytek made improving the defense his top priority. That shouldn't be a surprise to Raider Nation, as since reaching the Super Bowl in 2002, the team has had just two top-20 finishes in scoring defense -- ranking 18th in 2006 and ninth in 2023.
Spytek made his vision clear during free agency, as he upgraded all three levels of the defense. That became more evident in the 2026 NFL Draft, as five of their next seven picks after Mendoza were on that side of the ball.
Two of their mid-round selections in particular, third-round defensive end Keyron Crawford and fourth-round cornerback Jermod McCoy, have the potential to make an immediate impact on the Las Vegas defense.
The Las Vegas Raiders may get immediate production from two of their defensive selections
During Spytek's first draft, Las Vegas used five of its first six picks on offense. While most of those players were hardly utilized under last year's head coach, Pete Carroll, it is clear that the front office believes Klint Kubiak can get the most out of the current group, as they prioritized defense this year.
ESPN NFL insider Field Yates listed the aforementioned two Raiders, Auburn's Crawford and Tennessee's McCoy, among his favorite picks in the third and fourth rounds, respectively. They could have an immediate role for Las Vegas as rookies.
"Crawford began his football career as a senior in high school, yet he has quickly figured out how to be an effective pass rusher. He was a more disruptive edge rusher in 2025 than Auburn teammate Keldric Faulk, who went No. 31 to the Titans. Though Crawford is still learning nuances of the position, his ability shines on tape. I am a big fan of Las Vegas' picks to build around quarterback Fernando Mendoza and shore up the defense."
"At some point, the health risk surrounding McCoy's right knee is outweighed by the upside a team was getting by taking him. I'd argue that point was well before the start of the fourth round, so I loved this pick by the Raiders. McCoy's 2024 tape was downright exceptional, landing him in the top 15 of my prospect rankings. He is fast and confident as a man-to-man coverage corner."
Crawford will have a tough time clawing out an immediate role, as Maxx Crosby, Kwity Paye, and Malcolm Koonce all figure to be ahead of him on the depth chart, at least for right now. But that doesn't mean, however, that he won't have an impact in Year 1.
As Yates noted, Crawford didn't start playing football until his senior year of high school, yet he was very productive in his final year at Auburn. While Crawford recorded 9.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks as a senior, his potential remains untapped for someone who picked up the sport just five years ago.
Meanwhile, McCoy's case to become one of the most impactful players in this draft largely hinges on how well his knee holds up. The Raiders have yet to decide how they will handle this situation during his rookie season. But McCoy recently shared that he is good to go.
Still, the concerns about his knee were centered around long-term issues. If Las Vegas opts against having him sit out his rookie season to rehab the knee, he can turn into a Day 1 starter ahead of Darien Porter and be one of the most impactful players in the entire draft class.
Defensive coordinator Rob Leonard will have his hands full getting the most out of the young players selected by Spytek. Both, however, should have an opportunity to get playing time and make an impact on a Raiders team that ranked 25th in scoring defense last season.
If both can live up to the post-draft hype from Yates, the organization will be much better in the long run. But for now, Crawford and McCoy should simply be able to provide some production and make their mark during their rookie years.
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