68. Jayden Higgins WR | Iowa State
Many mock drafts have the Raiders drafting Arizona star Tetairoa McMillan in the first round but if they miss out on him, there is a great alternative in Jayden Higgins. The Iowa State star has a similar build to McMillan at 6-4 and 215lbs and is a tad faster as he ran a 4.47 40 at the NFL Combine.
Higgins’ other numbers at the combine were all in the 88th percentile or better and he is an excellent athlete at his size. He was also very productive in a run-heavy offense as he put up 87 catches for 1183 yards and 9 touchdowns in 2024.
Scouts note that Higgins has incredible hands and had just a 3% drop rate on 350 targets in his two years at Iowa State after transferring from Eastern Kentucky in 2023. He fits an immediate need as the Raiders are on the hunt for an outside receiver that can also be a red zone threat and is also an incredibly talented young man.
The only concerns are about a perceived passiveness in jump ball situations and a lack of “elite” speed, but he looks faster on tape than the stopwatch suggests. That toughness on 50-50 balls will come with time as he learns how to use his big frame to ward off opposing defensive backs. He can be an immediate difference maker in this Las Vegas offense.