The Las Vegas Raiders are enjoying a hectic offseason once again. Although they still had to finalize their coaching staff and catch up on free agency scouting, a good contingent spent the week at the 2026 NFL combine in Indianapolis, taking in prospective college talent ahead of April's draft.
Operating under the assumption that Fernando Mendoza will be the top pick, the Raiders likely had their eyes on prospects slated to go in the second round and beyond. With that in mind, let's take a look at stock risers and fallers at every position from this past weekend.
Stock risers and fallers of note for Raiders at 2026 NFL combine
Running back
Riser: Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas
Faller: Emmett Johnson, Nebraska
Washington Jr. parlayed a strong senior season in the SEC into a strong Senior Bowl showing, and he kept that ball rolling at the combine. His measurables and testing wowed spectators, and although his on-field workout wasn't tremendous, Washington Jr. made himself an ideal mid-round addition.
Johnson, by contrast, had the slowest 40-yard dash time among running backs, by a significant margin. Although his on-field workout was strong, his athleticism, and particularly his lack of top-end speed, left plenty to be desired.
Wide receiver
Riser: Ja'Kobi Lane, USC
Faller: Malachi Fields, Notre Dame
Lane's 40-yard dash wasn't in the upper echelon for wide receivers, but at 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds with 32 and 5/8-inch arms, that is not how he wins. His hands are huge at 10 and 1/2 inches, and Lane looked smooth in on-field drills. Plus, a 4.47 at that size isn't exactly "bad."
Fields had the second-slowest 40-yard dash time among wide receivers at the event, and his 10-yard split was the worst. That matters. His on-field workout was solid enough, but he didn't leave scouts with the impression that he belonged in any higher draft conversations than he has been in.
Tight end
Riser: Eli Heidenreich, FB, Navy
Faller: Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M
Okay, this may be cheating. But Heidenreich is such an unbelievable fullback prospect, and it feels right to lump him in with the tight ends. He is not physically imposing, but his on-field workout was excellent, the Raiders want a tight end, and his athleticism score was one of the best at running back.
Boerkircher, however, didn't test well. In fact, he barely tested at all, performing poorly in his only drill, the 20-yard shuttle, calling his athleticism into question. His on-field workout left plenty to be desired as well, so he saw his stock fall.
Offensive tackle
Riser: Max Iheanachor, Arizona State
Faller: Spencer Fano, Utah
Iheanachor turned in the sixth-best overall performance among offensive linemen at the combine, recording a strong 40-yard dash time and a good 10-yard split. His on-field workout wasn't perfect, but his arms are a mile long and he is young at the position and could blossom in the right situation.
Fano's on-field workout was considered the best at the event, and his athleticism score was second. Overall, he performed the best. But his arms are just over 32 inches long, which is nowhere near the threshold for an NFL offensive tackle. Kicking him inside to guard or center severely hurts his stock.
Interior offensive line
Riser: Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech
Faller: Logan Taylor, Boston College
Rutledge did almost every athletic test, and he came away with the top athleticism score among offensive linemen at the event. His on-field workout was also good, and Rutledge gets even better when the pads come on.
Taylor's athleticism numbers weren't too bad during testing, but he really struggled in the on-field portion of his workout. He has the requisite size and strength to play the position as well, but he's gotta be able to put it together on Sundays.
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Defensive end
Riser: Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
Faller: LT Overton, Alabama
Dennis-Sutton was a highly productive edge rusher in the Big Ten, and he showed why in Indianapolis. His strong on-field workout, paired with elite athletic testing numbers, proves that he is far too slept on in this deep defensive end class.
Overton didn't impress at the Senior Bowl, and he continued that downward trajectory at the combine. His on-field workout was a bit sloppy, and he didn't do much to dispel his athletic concerns, neglecting to test anything but his 40-yard dash, which he didn't exactly light up.
Defensive tackle
Riser: Lee Hunter, Texas Tech
Faller: Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
Hunter's athleticism score isn't going to wow anyone. In fact, it might scare some folks. But he projects as a run-stuffing nose tackle at the next level, and he is more than capable of doing that. Plus, his on-field workout was the single best among the defensive tackle group. That matters.
McDonald impressed in the on-field portion, which, again, matters most for a defensive tackle. But his athleticism concerns, combined with relatively short arms, trigger some hesitation. Ideally, he falls into Round 2 and is now an option for the Raiders. But his stock definitely fell a bit.
Linebacker
Riser: Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
Faller: Jack Kelly, BYU
Rodriguez put to rest most of the concerns about his athleticism. He's still not incredibly tall, nor does he have long arms, but he makes up for it with insane speed and great instincts, which he put on full display during his nearly flawless on-field workout.
Kelly came into the event as an experienced linebacker with some athleticism concerns. Then, he went and put on a show in the athletic testing, but failed to have similar success in the on-field portion. Kelly's inconsistency may cause teams to hesitate on pulling the trigger.
Defensive backs
Riser: Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State
Riser: Jalon Kilgore, CB, South Carolina
Faller: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, SAF, Toledo
Faller: Zakee Wheatley, SAF, Penn State
Johnson, in particular, had a strong showing among the cornerback contingency. His athleticism stood out, and although his arms aren't the longest to play on the outside, Johnson more than made up for it during his on-field workout. His technique might be the best in the class.
Kilgore is young, huge, and athletic. That is the holy trinity for projecting immense upside, and Kilgore is also a great cornerback. His on-field workout wasn't the best, but he has years of tape that prove otherwise.
The hype was strong around McNeil-Warren before the event, and he was somewhat of a letdown. He is still a tremendous player and athlete, and his on-field workout was good. But McNeil-Warren had the second-slowest 40-yard dash among safeties, causing some concern.
Wheatley didn't really stand out one way or another, which isn't great for a safety trying to cement his status as a Round 2 pick. His on-field workout wasn't anything to write home about, and Wheatley skipped most of his athletic testing, and didn't impress in the jumping tests that he actually did.