The 2026 Raiders WR Room

[RunOverByHubbard]

Some here have argued for drafting a WR pretty high up and certain mock drafts have us taking one high up. Before we sewed up the #1 pick and when we were in the 4-7 ranges, mock drafts had us taking a WR. For me, because we have Bowers and Mayer, I think there is enough on the roster to work with and we should take a WR in the middle rounds at the highest. We have speed in Thornton and Tucker and I don't know much about the other speed-burner, Dorsett. Given our TEs, I would think we need a possession type guy but I don't know much about the guys here other than Bech who has those qualities. What do you think of the group and what should we do next?

Name, ht and wt, years a pro, college and 40 time:

Jack Bech 6-1 214 23 2 TCU 4.55 40
Phillip Dorsett II 5-10 185 33 9 Miami 4.33 40
Shedrick Jackson 6-1 198 26 1 Auburn 4.25 40
Jalen Nailor 6-0 190 27 5 Michigan State 4.5 40
Brenden Rice 6-3 210 23 2 USC 4.5 40
Justin Shorter 6-4 227 25 4 Florida 4.55 40
Dont'e Thornton Jr. 6-5 205 23 2 Tennessee 4.3 40
Tre Tucker 5-8 182 25 4 Cincinnati 4.40 40
Dareke Young 6-2 224 26 5 Lenoir Rhyne 4.44-4.47 40 time
(from 2025, Alex Bachman and Tyler Lockett are UFA's)

[Attyla]

We need depth at the oline and dline moreso

[raiders93]

Some here have argued for drafting a WR pretty high up and certain mock drafts have us taking one high up. Before we sewed up the #1 pick and when we were in the 4-7 ranges, mock drafts had us taking a WR. For me, because we have Bowers and Mayer, I think there is enough on the roster to work with and we should take a WR in the middle rounds at the highest. We have speed in Thornton and Tucker and I don't know much about the other speed-burner, Dorsett. Given our TEs, I would think we need a possession type guy but I don't know much about the guys here other than Bech who has those qualities. What do you think of the group and what should we do next?

Name, ht and wt, years a pro, college and 40 time:

Jack Bech 6-1 214 23 2 TCU 4.55 40
Phillip Dorsett II 5-10 185 33 9 Miami 4.33 40
Shedrick Jackson 6-1 198 26 1 Auburn 4.25 40
Jalen Nailor 6-0 190 27 5 Michigan State 4.5 40
Brenden Rice 6-3 210 23 2 USC 4.5 40
Justin Shorter 6-4 227 25 4 Florida 4.55 40
Dont'e Thornton Jr. 6-5 205 23 2 Tennessee 4.3 40
Tre Tucker 5-8 182 25 4 Cincinnati 4.40 40
Dareke Young 6-2 224 26 5 Lenoir Rhyne 4.44-4.47 40 time
(from 2025, Alex Bachman and Tyler Lockett are UFA's)

We need a volume target. Someone that can win consistently in the short-intermediate area. Right now it’s just bowers and teams will continue bracketing him as much as possible. We need a guy that can get open on 3rd downs. Problem with our current group is none of these guys are particularly crafty route runners.

[RickRyb]

Nailor will be a strong 3rd down receiver.

[BoJacksonRules]

The only way I see us taking a WR in round 2 or 3 is if there’s a run on OLINE and DLINE early and we’ve already missed the boat on possible staters at those positions

[BoKnows81]

The only way I see us taking a WR in round 2 or 3 is if there’s a run on OLINE and DLINE early and we’ve already missed the boat on possible staters at those positions

I think if Omar Cooper is there at 36, we'll take him.

[GoodTimeCharlie]

The only way I see us taking a WR in round 2 or 3 is if there’s a run on OLINE and DLINE early and we’ve already missed the boat on possible staters at those positions

There’s a grip of tall and fast that can be had later in the draft to throw flyers at.

Name: Ted Hurst
School: Georgia State University
Height: 6 ft 3 in
Weight: 206–207 lb
40‑Yard Dash: 4.42 s
NFL Draft Projection: Rounds 3–6

Name: Bryce Lance
School: North Dakota State University
Height: 6 ft 3 in
Weight: 204 lb
40‑Yard Dash: 4.34 s
NFL Draft Projection: Rounds 4–5

Name: De’Zhaun Stribling
School: University of Mississippi
Height: 6 ft 2 in
Weight: 207 lb
40‑Yard Dash: 4.36 s
NFL Draft Projection: Rounds 5-6

Name: Jeff Caldwell
School: University of Cincinnati
Height: 6 ft 5 in
Weight: 215–216 lb
40‑Yard Dash: 4.31 s
NFL Draft Projection: Rounds 5–7

[chucker]

I think if Omar Cooper is there at 36, we'll take him.

I don't think he'll be there, and I don't really want WR in the 2nd, but if Cooper is there at 36 I think the value is too good to pass up.

[BoKnows81]

I don't think he'll be there, and I don't really want WR in the 2nd, but if Cooper is there at 36 I think the value is too good to pass up.

Agreed. He's probably the only guy I'd consider over a tackle there.

[RunOverByHubbard]

We need depth at the oline and dline moreso

Agree, but what do you think we should do at WR? RT, S, DT and CB are the priorities, but do you think we need another possession guy or speed guy if they are not top three round talents?

[Attyla]

Agree, but what do you think we should do at WR? RT, S, DT and CB are the priorities, but do you think we need another possession guy or speed guy if they are not top three round talents?

I might not even draft a WR but wait for the cuts. Tackle would be our second rounder. NT can be day three, that is where they are projecting a lot of them to start falling. CB or S can be had with our third. You cannot fully rebuild a team in a year, so we are going to have holes, you just plug in and play the best you can.

[Rabidraider]

I'm now hoping for Peter Wood or Lee Hunter to drop to 36 and be the nose tackle.

[Trainnvain]

Peter Wood seems like more of a disrupter than a true NT, Hunter would fit but I don’t know if he makes it to 36. I agree with others that tackle should be the focus in rd 2, there should be a couple worth drafting that high that make it to pick 36. Dominique Orange would be a guy they should target in rd 3

[Rabidraider]

Peter Wood seems like more of a disrupter than a true NT, Hunter would fit but I don’t know if he makes it to 36. I agree with others that tackle should be the focus in rd 2, there should be a couple worth drafting that high that make it to pick 36. Dominique Orange would be a guy they should target in rd 3

It's the point where it seems we need a nose tackle more than oline help. But oline is also a great way to go.

[chucker]

It's the point where it seems we need a nose tackle more than oline help. But oline is also a great way to go.

We need a nose tackle more because we really do have some recent draftees who might end up being the answer on the oline and so winning now requires a nose tackle while the oline might work out without signing or drafting high. But we need oline help because we need more certainty to make sure Mendoza is protected because he's our future. RT is a bigger priority IMO - even though it's possible that Grant fills that role and does it really well.