The Las Vegas Raiders are about to make some very tough decisions in the next few days. With the 2026 NFL Draft starting on Thursday, the Raiders will have 11 draft picks to use to fill out the rest of their roster.

We all know what Vegas is going to do with the No. 1 overall pick. Fernando Mendoza is going to be the franchise quarterback for the Silver and Black. However, we have absolutely no clue what Vegas will do with the rest of their picks. No matter what, it feels like this team could walk away wth a very good rookie class. And not all of those picks will be obvious. There are some very good hidden gems throughout this draft class, starting in the second round.

Hidden gems the Raiders could target in each round

Round 2: Caleb Tiernan, Northwestern OT

Tiernan is more of a pass-blocking offensive lineman, who also has some tools to be good in the run game. He’s 6’7, so he does have an issue getting lower than the real low-level pad pass rushers in the run game. But that’s fixable, because there are ways to counter that when you can’t get that low. As far as the pass game, he’s elite. He has great foot speed to counter those speed rushers and bendy guys, and he’s also an anchor when it comes to the power rushers.

Round 3: Keith Abney, Arizona State CB

When watching his tape, you see a fluid mover with ideal size at 6’0, 190 pounds. However, his tape shows something most corners don’t: a physical presence. He’s dominant in press man, and he’s not afraid to stick his nose in run fits. He allowed the lowest passer rating in the FBS this past season, and he screams dominant, press-man corner. The only issue is, and it’s a big one, he doesn’t have elite speed. His zone coverage instincts could be better, too.

Round 4:Travis Burke, Memphis OT

At 6’9” and 330 pounds, Burke ranks among the tallest prospects in the draft. He has 34 1/4-inch arms, 10 1/8-inch hands, and recorded a 5.17-second forty-yard dash. Burke is currently a stronger run blocker than pass blocker, though both aspects of his game require significant development. He remains a raw prospect at this stage.

Round 5: Kaleb Proctor, Southeastern Louisiana DT

Procter didn’t play against or with many elite players. But his tape is too hard to ignore. He has great size for what he will be asked to do and unique upfield quickness in lateral agility. He has flashed some really good gap-shooting bursts. Procter is more technically sound than you would think, given all things considered. Procter finished with 9 sacks last season and 16 for his career in 48 total games. But he missed too many tackles and needs to work on his pad level and resistance.

Southeastern Louisiana DI Kaleb Proctor vs. LSU. Might be my favorite small-school prospect in this class. Knifes through double teams like a shark, and jumps gaps like a running back. A 6'2", 291-pound rolling ball of butcher knives. pic.twitter.com/bf2btlYGWY

— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 14, 2026

Round 6: Nadame Tucker, Western Michigan EDGE

Tucker has elite get-off and lateral quickness. His high effort is something the Raiders greatly value in an edge rusher. However, he has a smaller frame that often leaves him swallowed up in the run game by large blockers. Tucker doesn’t have much experience against elite competition. He is one of the older prospects in the draft, as he will turn 26 very soon. But Tucker finished with nearly 15 sacks last season at Western Michigan.

Round 7: Brent Austin, Cal CB

Austin lacks optimal long speed and struggles to recover when out of position. He plays with a competitive, tough-minded attitude in both coverage and run support, but his average play strength is likely to be exposed against NFL athletes. In 2025, he produced draft-worthy performances, specifically while in zone coverage. He struggles in press man because of his size, though. His instincts are phenomenal.

UDFA: Marvn Jones Jr., Oklahoma EDGE

Jones did not benefit from playing at OU as he may have thought he would have. He was often the edge rusher across R Mason Thomas and played next to Gracen Halton and plenty of other defensive linemen. Yet, he doesn’t have the stats to show that he benefited from those guys. However, Jones does have some really good tape despite not having the production to show for it. His frame, long arms, and subtle quickness suggest he can be developed into a rotational edge rusher.