Raiders could easily get the best guard no one is even talking about late in the 2026 NFL Draft for little to nothing
The Las Vegas Raiders need an offensive guard in this draft, and former Oklahoma Sooners guard Febechi Nwaiwu is one of the best that no one is talking about.
The Las Vegas Raiders need to address the offensive line in the 2026 NFL Draft. They improved the center position in free agency with the signing of Tyler Linderbaum, but must still focus the draft on the tackle and guard spots.
The need for improvement remains after free agency, particularly at tackle and guard. Now, whether that’s a starter or depth is the question at hand. At this point, it feels like the Raiders will mostly target depth at both positions and let the battles play out in training camp. The tackle position needs depth on both sides, as DJ Glaze and Charles Grant will likely battle for that position in camp.
The guard position, with second-year player Caleb Rogers likely to be the starter at either left or right guard, could use a guy we are more confident in at the position. Rogers only played 284 total snaps last season, all of them at eight guard. And yet, in those snaps, we didn’t see anything, really, that would sell us on him being the starter long term. That doesn’t mean he can’t be or won’t be, but the tape wasn’t anything special, and in fact, had more questionable moments than anything else. However, he was a rookie, so this offseason will be huge for him.
Raiders may still want to target a starter or depth offensive guard in the draft
To provide depth and pressure to Rogers, there is a guard the Raiders can target late in the draft, in Febechi Nwaiwu, the former Oklahoma Sooners offensive guard. There are too many needs, way too many questions about this draft, and so many other varying factors to predict the Raiders to draft an offensive guard early in the draft. We don’t know how the board will fall, how they feel about the board, or how they feel about their own team.
But, if for some reason they take a wide receiver in round two, and they don’t like the picks between then and round 6 or 7, then they should undoubtedly take Nwaiwu, who can give you versatility, consistency, and will work his tail off nonstop. Not to mention, he is actually good, and for some odd reason, he is not talked about at all. Nwaiwu finished 2025 with the lowest pass rush win rate allowed in the FBS, at 0.42%, per TruMedia.
Nwaiwu was the only player on Oklahoma’s offensive line to start every single game the last two seasons. That says a lot because of how many injuries they’ve endured. He played every position on the interior, including center, for the first time ever this season. Nwaiwu didn’t allow a sack all season long and only allowed two total pressures. He’s as elite a pass blocker as they come. Some may think he’s a bad run blocker. While he can improve there, it’s mainly the guys around him and the scheme he was in that held him back.
At 6’4, 330 pounds, Nwaiwu was elite last year. Why he isn’t getting more love is beyond me.
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