The Las Vegas Raiders badly needed to fortify their wide receiver room in the 2025 NFL Draft. They did just that when they selected two young prospects in the middle rounds, as well as a third player who is transitioning from quarterback to wide receiver.
In the second round with the No. 58 overall pick, the Raiders took their first dip into the wide receiver pool by selecting Jack Bech. He spent time at both LSU and TCU during his college career, and his breakout campaign came last season for the Horned Frogs as he caught 62 passes for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns.
With only Jakobi Meyers standing out in the Raiders' current wide receiver pecking order, opportunity is knocking for the newest players on the team. But, given his skill set and toughness, opportunity is likely knocking the loudest for Bech.
Raiders rookie WR Jack Bech is already being compared to a fantasy football legend
After a tremendous senior season at TCU, Bech bolstered his draft stock even more with an MVP performance at the Senior Bowl. He was projected to be a second-round pick, and the Raiders landed him toward the end of the round after trading back twice and gaining extra capital.
Head coach Pete Carroll sang the young player's praises after selecting him on Day 2.
"He's really versatile. He can do everything. He's played outside and played inside. He's been a possession guy at times. He's really a catch and run guy. He's really physical, he's as tough as you get as a receiver," Carroll said. "We'll find his spot for him, but we see him as versatile, and we're counting on him to do a number of things. He's already been asked to. ... He's about as fired up as a receiver can get."
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Such a glowing recommendation prompted Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport to include Bech on a list of six value players from the 2025 draft class who could be fantasy football stars for this year and beyond. His immediate path to a prominent role was mentioned, but Davenport also made an eye-opening comparison.
"There's some Cooper Kupp in Bech's game," wrote Davenport. "He wins more with route-running and physicality than blazing speed."
Kupp, though he is now past his prime, is still the gold standard for understanding how to get open without a measurable trait that stands out. The two players have similar profiles, as both are solid-sized receivers with body control, ball skills and strength after the catch. Neither is particularly athletic or physically imposing, but they have always gotten the job done.
While it may be unfair to offer Kupp as a comparison for Bech, who has never played a snap in the NFL before, it is easy to see the similarities. Raider Nation should be excited to see Bech's upside linked to a player that has had a career like Kupp's.