The Las Vegas Raiders have addressed many of their needs in free agency, thanks to a large budget for general manager John Spytek. While they handed Tyler Linderbaum a record-setting contract to anchor the offensive line and revamped the defense, the team is not without its holes.
Of course, everyone expects Fernando Mendoza to be selected No. 1 overall to fill the massive need under center. But they have nine additional picks to address the rest of the roster, with key positions such as an "X" wide receiver, nose tackle, deep safety, and backup running back needing upgrades.
But with Brock Bowers likely to dominate the target share, a nose tackle is the biggest remaining need due to its importance in Rob Leonard's 3-4 defense. The Raiders could target former Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald to fill that void, and it seems like the Raiders are at least intrigued.
Raiders could grab a Day 2 steal in Ohio State DT Kayden McDonald
McDonald had an elite final season with the Buckeyes, recording 65 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one pass defended. This earned him unanimous All-American honors, while he was also named Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year.
His best trait is being an elite run stopper, as Pro Football Focus noted. His 91.2 run defense grade, 16 tackles for loss or no gain, and 30 run stops were all the best among all Division I interior defensive linemen in 2025.
McDonald's pass-rushing arsenal consists almost exclusively of a bull rush, so he will likely need to add more moves at the next level. Still, he has shown that he can be an effective pass rusher and is even slightly underrated in that department.
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The young prospect has shown that he can collapse the pocket, swallow blocks, and force double teams against both the run and the pass. Those traits would open things up for the rest of the group, and could take more attention away from Maxx Crosby, allowing the superstar to feast even more.
McDonald is set to meet with the Raiders on a pre-draft 30 visit, which is a serious indication of their interest level. Plus, Las Vegas will also send director of college scouting Brandon Yeargan to Ohio State's Pro Day on Wednesday, according to NFL analyst Ryan Fowler, to get a closer look.
Additionally, most mock drafts project that he will be selected somewhere between the late first-round and early-to-middle second round. If McDonald is on the board when the Raiders are picking for the second time, they would be wise to make him the selection.
The former Buckeyes star represents the rare mix of player that fills a need and could very well be the best and safest pick available.