The Las Vegas Raiders were very fortunate on opening night of the 2026 NFL Draft. Yes, they landed a franchise quarterback in Fernando Mendoza, but that was hardly a surprise for him, the team, or the fanbase. It has been written in stone since way back in January.
But John Spytek and the front office are surely thrilled that Day 1 unfolded the way that it did, as they'll have no shortage of options when they're back on the clock at No. 36 early in Round 2. It's a mystery exactly who they'll take, as Las Vegas could justify a handful of very good players as fits.
Much of the fanbase wants the Raiders to add a pass-catching weapon for Mendoza, while others want to bolster the offensive line to protect him. Some want to build the interior defensive line or the secondary. But one specific player stands out to an NFL draft guru for Las Vegas on Friday evening:
Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald.
Las Vegas Raiders reportedly won't let Kayden McDonald get past them in Round 2
The Athletic's Dane Brugler, whose draft brainchild is The Beast, spoke on The Athletic Football Show after the first 32 picks of the draft were completed. When his co-hosts discussed McDonald as a potential fit for the New York Giants at No. 37, Brugler couldn't help but chime in.
"He's not going to get past the Raiders (at No. 36), I don't think, if he's still there."Dane Brugler on Kayden McDonald
McDonald is a highly-coveted player, one who we have written about extensively. He had a lot of buzz in the late-first round, but ended up not hearing his name called on Thursday in Pittsburgh. However, McDonald figures to be one of the first young talents off the board on Friday night.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero also noted that McDonald won't get past the first five or 10 picks in the second round. Given that the Raiders have the fourth pick of the night, McDonald should be in range if he lasts until Las Vegas. And it sounds like, based on Brugler's intel, that the Raiders want him.
And the fanbase would be ecstatic about landing McDonald, as the interior defensive line has been a point of contention all offseason. Yes, some promising pieces are already in that room, but given how much those guys rotate, Las Vegas could never have enough big and skilled bodies up front.
New defensive coordinator Rob Leonard would surely be on board with landing a game-changing player in the middle of the defense, one who is already an incredible run-stopper and has the tools to develop beyond just being a bull-rusher when trying to get after the quarterback.
It sounds like, although the Raiders surely have several intriguing options on their board, if McDonald falls into their lap at No. 36, they may sprint to turn the card in. And almost nobody in the fanbase would be upset about it.