The 2026 NFL Draft isn't carrying quite the same level of anticipation for Las Vegas Raiders fans as the event has in years past. But that's a good thing because Raider Nation can all but certify themselves who John Spytek and Klint Kubiak will take: Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
But this Las Vegas team is still littered with holes and position groups in need of bolstering, and thankfully, Spytek and Co. will have nine other picks in April. Mendoza's selection can effectively be written in pen, but where exactly the Silver and Black go in Round 2 and beyond is a mystery.
A team can never go wrong adding more depth to the trenches, and the Raiders certainly need to keep adding pieces to their secondary and running back room. But a recent report has just completed a picture of a Las Vegas team that is perhaps looking to add a wide receiver at pick No. 36.
Raiders could be looking at WR in Round 2 based on reports
At the combine, the Raiders met with Texas A&M's KC Concepcion and Georgia's Zachariah Branch. Concepcion is considered a late-first-round WR, but a recent knee operation could see him fall into Las Vegas' lap. Branch's draft projection is more varied, but some could see him picked on Day 2.
Then, on Monday, ESPN's Brady Henderson reported that the Raiders were hosting Washington wideout Denzel Boston for a pre-draft visit on Sunday. Boston, like Concepcion, is regarded as a late-first-round prospect, but his pre-draft testing (or lack thereof) may hurt his stock a bit.
Las Vegas also reportedly met with cornerbacks Brandon Cisse and D'Angelo Ponds, as well as defensive tackle Lee Hunter, all of whom could feasibly be taken at pick No. 36. But it seems like the Raiders are at least doing their homework on wideouts that could be available in that range.
Oddly enough, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox wrote a piece on Sunday about prospective wide receivers and which NFL teams they would fit best and worst on. For Concepcion, that best fit was the Raiders.
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"The Las Vegas Raiders and new head coach Klint Kubiak would be perfect for Concepcion, even if landing the former Aggie is unlikely. The Raiders are expected to use the No. 1 overall pick on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, and Concepcion probably isn't lasting until pick No. 36.Â
"If Las Vegas can somehow make a play for Concepcion, though, he'd do a solid impression of Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Kubiak's offense."
Getting a Smith-Njigba-esque player sure sounds like the move for the Raiders, if they can swing it. But it's also hard to beat the nostalgia of drafting Branch, a young speedster from Las Vegas who also happens to be a relative of franchise legend Cliff Branch.
Boston is probably the most sought-after of the trio, so his falling down the board wouldn't be unwelcome, either. Obviously, Las Vegas is at the whim of the rest of the league when it comes to the 34 picks in between its selections.
But the Raiders still need significant wide receiver help, even after the addition of Jalen Nailor, and one of these three could fit the bill. Concepcion and Boston are certainly the better two picks at No. 36, but Las Vegas is keeping its options open, even if they may have their eyes on some wideouts.