Las Vegas Raiders fans don't need to be force-fed Klint Kubiak propaganda. The belief in the team's new head coach is iron-clad, entirely genuine and well-founded. Raider Nation simply can't wait to watch their new head coach go to work during the 2026 NFL season and beyond.
Veterans have already confirmed through the offseason program that Kubiak is the kind of pragmatic, matter-of-fact leader that the Raiders have been missing. And if anyone thinks this is a facade, just ask Super Bowl-winning quarterback Sam Darnold what he thinks of Las Vegas' new head coach.
What Kubiak brings to Raiders HQ is more than just an attitude that those in the building and fanbase can respect, though. He brings real results and gets the most out of his players, as evidenced by two key Seattle Seahawks' rapid ascensions in the latest NFL player rankings.
New Las Vegas Raiders HC Klint Kubiak helped two Seahawks skyrocket in NFL player rankings
With the NFL releasing its player-voted Top 100 rankings over the next few weeks, CBS Sports analyst Pete Prisco took a stab at a list of his own. As far as current Raiders on there, Brock Bowers came in at No. 27, Maxx Crosby at No. 35, and Tyler Linderbaum at No. 92.
Perhaps more interesting, though, was the fact that the Seahawks landed two offensive players on the list, both of whom were unranked at this time last year. Darnold rose to No. 72, and wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba ascended all the way to No. 13.
That is two key Seattle players at two ultra-important positions going from unheralded to among the NFL's elite in just one season under Kubiak's guidance, and the hope is that Las Vegas feels a similar effect. Seeing this should give the Raiders and their fanbase all the trust in the world in Kubiak.
Now, the situation with Kirk Cousins, Fernando Mendoza or Aidan O'Connell is a bit different from what Darnold's was. The same goes for Smith-Njigba and Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor or whatever young wide receiver may step up in Las Vegas.
Darnold was coming off a 14-3 season with the Minnesota Vikings, and even though he wasn't really regarded highly as a free agent and wasn't paid like a superstar, he practically is one now after recording another 14-3 campaign and hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
Smith-Njigba was also a first-round pick coming off a Pro Bowl season in which he tallied 100 catches for 1,130 yards and six touchdowns as the second option. He did improve dramatically in 2026, but Kubiak isn't starting on second or third base with the Raiders as he did with these players in Seattle.
But Kubiak can undeniably get the most out of his guys, and it isn't so crazy to think that Mendoza, in particular, could be considered a Top 100 player as soon as this time next year. Tucker has improved in every season as a Raider, and he's never been in as favorable a situation as the one he's now in.
Does any of this mean that Mendoza will instantly be a star and win a Super Bowl while Tucker becomes one of the NFL's premier pass-catchers and wins the Offensive Player of the Year award? Certainly not. But the team and fanbase would be happy with a lot less.
If the Raiders can just see improvement from in-house players during the 2026 campaign under Kubiak's tutelage, then that would be a win. But a rapid ascension of key players like the one the Seahawks saw with Kubiak is a reason to trust him, and it would be the cherry on top of the sundae.
Add us as a preferred source on Google