Sportsvival’s team-by-team look at the 2026 NFL Draft takes us to Las Vegas, where the Raiders have already been one of the league’s busiest teams this offseason. With Klint Kubiak now leading the program and John Spytek continuing to reshape the roster, the Raiders entered free agency with clear needs at quarterback, the offensive line, and wide receiver, and they have attacked the market with urgency.
The biggest storyline, though, is still Maxx Crosby. Las Vegas had agreed to trade Crosby to Baltimore before the Ravens backed out, and the Raiders publicly confirmed only that Baltimore “backed out” of the deal. The wider reporting around the situation pointed to medical concerns tied to Crosby’s knee after meniscus surgery, and the whole episode matters because Crosby had already grown frustrated after being shut down late in the 2025 season. The latest turn is that Crosby publicly recommitted, posting that he is “a Raider,” so for now Las Vegas moves forward with its defensive cornerstone still in the building.
Las Vegas has not sat still around that drama. Officially, the Raiders have signed linebacker Nakobe Dean and kicker Matt Gay, re-signed Malcolm Koonce and Eric Stokes, acquired slot corner Taron Johnson, and traded Geno Smith to the Jets. In addition, multiple reports say the Raiders are also adding center Tyler Linderbaum, linebacker Quay Walker, edge rusher Kwity Paye, and wide receiver Jalen Nailor. In other words, this front office has been aggressive about patching weak spots before the draft even arrives.
Need No. 1: Quarterback
Even with all of the defensive movement and line help, quarterback is still the Raiders’ top need. Geno Smith is gone, and that puts Las Vegas right back at the top of the board looking for a long-term answer. That is why Fernando Mendoza remains the cleanest connection here. Raiders-focused draft coverage has repeatedly linked Las Vegas to Mendoza, and major mock-draft projections still describe him as the obvious fit for the No. 1 pick. For Sportsvival, this is still the right call: if the Raiders are going to reset the franchise, they need to do it with a young quarterback they can build around from Day 1.
Mendoza makes sense because the Raiders are not just drafting talent here; they are drafting direction. The reported addition of Linderbaum suggests Las Vegas understands that a rookie quarterback needs infrastructure, and Mendoza gives them the big-bodied, high-end passer prospect to anchor the rebuild. If the Raiders stay at the top of the draft, quarterback should still be the first card they turn in.
Need No. 2: Wide Receiver
The second need is wide receiver. Nailor is a useful addition and Brock Bowers gives this offense a major weapon at tight end, but the Raiders’ own offseason outlook made it clear they did not have a true No. 1 receiver locked in. Nailor helps the room, yet he does not eliminate the need for another impact pass catcher who can win outside, threaten defenses vertically, and grow with a rookie quarterback. If Las Vegas comes out of this draft with Mendoza, it would make even more sense to add another target who can help carry the passing game.
Need No. 3: Offensive Line
Third on the list is the offensive line. Yes, Linderbaum is a massive reported addition, and it is exactly the type of move this roster needed. But one player does not fully solve a front that allowed a league-high 64 sacks last season. The Raiders still need to keep building the wall in front of a young quarterback, and they may not be done at guard or tackle depending on how they view Jackson Powers-Johnson and the rest of the unit. If Las Vegas drafts Mendoza, protecting him has to stay a premium priority through the middle rounds.
What free agency has done is push some other needs down the board. Corner was a major concern before Stokes returned and Taron Johnson arrived. Edge looked thinner before Koonce came back and Paye was reportedly added. Linebacker needed an overhaul, and Dean plus Walker give the Raiders much more speed and range there. That leaves quarterback, wide receiver, and offensive line as the three spots that still feel most likely to define how successful this offseason really becomes.
The bottom line for Sportsvival is simple: the Raiders have done real work in free agency, but they still should treat quarterback as the heartbeat of the draft. The Maxx Crosby situation remains a major subplot, even if the latest signs point to him staying in silver and black. Free agency has helped stabilize the roster, but the clearest path forward is still to draft Fernando Mendoza first, then keep stacking help around him at receiver and up front.