The Las Vegas Raiders have a very busy offseason ahead of them. They have reportedly reached an agreement with Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak to be their next head coach, although it cannot be announced until after Super Bowl LX.
Once that decision is made final, the focus will turn to building out a staff for Kubiak, who will be a first-time head coach. After that, Las Vegas' front office and new-look coaching staff will turn their attention to fixing a roster that has holes in virtually every position room.
Fortunately for Raiders fans, the organization has ample means to do so, with 10 draft picks and close to $100 million in salary cap space. It's almost certain that Fernando Mendoza will be the first overall pick, but it remains unclear what the rest of the roster will look like.
Las Vegas will likely do what it can to make the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner's transition to the NFL go as smoothly as possible. A recent mock draft predicted that they would select a coveted wide receiver with ties to the city in the second round.
Raiders predicted to draft a WR who grew up in Las Vegas
The Raiders have needs all over the roster, and adding to the wide receiver room should be a top priority after trading Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers in back-to-back years. As things stand, Tre Tucker, Jack Bech, and Dont'e Thornton Jr. are the top-three wideouts under contract in 2026.
While the team has been linked to Mendoza's top-two targets from the 2025 season, Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr., The Athletic's Nick Baumgardner and Scott Dochterman predicted that Las Vegas will pass on both to select a different wideout in their mock draft: Alabama's Germie Bernard.
Bernard, who was born in Las Vegas, played his high school football at Liberty High School, just five minutes from the Raiders' headquarters and 15 minutes from Allegiant Stadium. He began his collegiate career with the Michigan State Spartans alongside Keon Coleman and Jayden Reed.
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After just one season, he transferred to the Washington Huskies, where he played with Rome Odunze, Ja'lynn Polk, and Jalen McMillan. He lasted just one year there, as well, following Kalen DeBoer to the Alabama Crimson Tide, where he and Ryan Williams served as the top-two wide receivers.
Bernard finished his career with 155 catches, 2,203 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, adding 184 rushing yards and five touchdowns. While he doesn't have the chemistry with Mendoza that Sarratt and Cooper Jr. have, Bernard is a great receiver who has played alongside some of the best.
Building around Mendoza will be key for the Raiders' front office, so it is no surprise to see experts projecting them to land a wide receiver early in the second round. Of course, those plans may change if they bring in a big-name addition via free agency or a trade. But Bernard would be a great pick.