The Las Vegas Raiders filled their biggest need, getting their franchise quarterback by selecting Fernando Mendoza with the first pick in the NFL draft on Thursday.
Now it’s time to continue building the rest of the roster around him, a process that started with a big haul in free agency.
The Raiders have two picks on Friday, starting with the fourth pick of the day when the draft resumes at 4 p.m. Besides the 36th overall pick, they also hold an early selection in the third round at 102nd overall.
General manager John Spytek said there were discussions about trading up for another pick late in the first round, but the decision was made to stay put with several potential targets still available.
“Our board is in a good spot,” he said.
There are plenty of needs to fill and several great candidates after a wild first round.
Spytek and his staff planned to meet late in the evening about what options they may have at No. 36 and whether they need to try to move up to target a specific player or perhaps move down for additional assets.
“I kind of go into it with no expectations,” Spytek said. “But with a level of preparation that we know we’ll be able to handle any scenario that might be thrown at us.”
Here are some prospects at positions of need for the Raiders with their second-round pick who are still on the board:
Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
This would potentially be the most high-risk, high-reward move the Raiders could possibly make.
McCoy had perhaps the best 2024 film of any prospect but missed this last season with a knee injury.
While he was able to run a blazing 40-yard dash at his pro day, there are still lingering concerns about the procedure that was done to replace a cartilage issue.
The Raiders could use an elite talent at the position and McCoy fits that bill. It’s not quite as big a roll of the dice to use a second-round pick on a player with injury concerns.
This may be the most intriguing name to follow on Friday.
Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
McDonald is really a perfect fit for what the Raiders need as they transition to a 3-4 base defense. He can jam up the interior of the opponent’s offensive line but also offers explosiveness and some threat as a pass rusher. He’s a player that was often connected to the Raiders throughout the draft process for those reasons, but he was a hefty favorite on the betting boards to be picked in the first round. Now there is a chance he may still be available when they are on the clock early in Round 2.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
Safety is a need for the Raiders, and McNeil-Warren is one of the best in the class. The prevailing wisdom was that he had little chance to get out of the first round, so he may be one of the players the Raiders are doing a refresher on as they prepare for Friday. He’s a big hitter and is always around the ball. While he’s still a work in progress against the pass, his skill set would get him on the field right away.
Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
The Raiders have several quality receivers on the roster. None has the skill set of Boston, however. He would give them the kind of big, physical weapon that would be very beneficial to Mendoza, whose back-shoulder fades would be that much more effective with a receiver who dominates 50-50 balls. Boston is also an effective runner after the catch and excels finding space against zone coverages.
Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
The other Volunteer cornerback is a safer option, though there is still significant upside. Hood has shown a willingness to get physical with receivers and is willing to help out in the run game even if he has a tendency to miss tackles. He could be very good with a little bit of refinement to his technique.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.
