Rounds one through three of the 2026 NFL draft are in the books, meaning we’re about halfway through the weekend marathon. But before we can cross the finish line, the Las Vegas Raiders have six (barring any trades) more players to add to the roster on Saturday, starting with the fourth round and pick 102 overall. So, let’s dive into the 10 best players available for the Raiders to begin Day 3 of the draft, listed in no particular order.
It’s somewhat surprising that the Raiders haven’t drafted a wide receiver for their new quarterback, Fernando Mendoza. But the opportunity is still out there to reunite a pair of former Hoosiers in Las Vegas. Mendoza and Sarratt had an excellent connection on back-shoulder throws last season, highlighting some impressive chemistry together.
“Big receiver whose competitiveness and elite catch-phase execution allow him to overcome his athletic limitations. While he’s nicknamed “Waffle House” because he’s said to be “always open,” Sarratt sees a high number of contested targets versus man coverage. He’s tight-hipped with below-average foot quickness and falls below the line as a separator. Once the throw goes up, however, he consistently beats corners with size, body control and catch-space strength to clean up. He’ll face press matchups that leave his catch column dry, but he’s built and wired for possession targets over the first two levels.” — NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein
McCoy’s knee must be in pretty bad shape because he was widely considered a first-round talent and one of the best cornerbacks in the draft for a weaker position group. Maybe he’s off Las Vegas’ big board because of the medical concerns, but if the organization is okay with taking some risk, taking the former Volunteer on Day 3 could net a great value pick.
“Derek Stingley Jr. (the 2022 third pick) was a playmaker with strong man coverage skills like McCoy, and there were concerns about his durability and consistency coming out. McCoy doesn’t appear to be as naturally gifted as Stingley, but he has the traits to compete for a starting role as a rookie if he’s healthy and continues to develop.” — The Ringer’s Todd McShay
Another surprise is that the Silver and Black haven’t added a nose tackle, yet. This is a deep draft class at the position, but the pickings are getting slim at this point. That could make finding a gap-filler one of the top priorities heading into the fourth round, and keep tabs on Jackson, who is a massive run defender and can earn a starting job in training camp.
“Darrell Jackson Jr. has several physically dominant reps as a run defender on film to be a gap-filler in the middle of an NFL defensive line. His combination of size (6’5″, 315 pounds) and strength can help him be an immediate contributor on early downs at the next level.” — Bleacher Report’s Scouting Department
Along the same lines, Capehart could fill the void in Las Vegas’ defensive line. Granted, he’d be a better value pick at 134 than 102, but again, the front office’s options are dwindling at this point, and it might be time to consider reaching for a need.
“Capehart started just 12 games over six seasons (and 57 games played) but that’s not an indicator of the impact he can make against the run. He’s big, broad and long with heavy hands and impressive power in his upper half. He can play through lesser guards and adequately occupy his gap against double-teams. He’s light on his feet with good lateral movement but is unrefined as a pass rusher, relying on down-the-middle power. Capehart is not a young prospect, but his traits and run-plugging talent will appeal to teams looking for a solid rotational option on Day 3.” — Zierlein
The younger brother of 2021 No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance, Bryce is another high-level athlete in the family. Height, weight and speed appear to be household traits, as the 6-foot-3, 204-pound wideout who runs a 4.34-second 40-yard dash can win down the field to be a vertical threat.
“Lance is a traits-driven, high-upside prospect with proven production and explosive ability as a vertical and YAC machine, but he’ll need to add strength and significantly refine his route running to become more than a situational deep threat at the next level. He has a very similar profile to another former NDSU receiver, Christian Watson, who also offers a size-speed-explosion blend, strong YAC skills, and the ability to stretch defenses. He grades out as a rookie sub-package contributor who is gifted enough to emerge as a full-time starter down the line as he improves his strength and physicality.” — McShay
Another pass-catcher, Bell is Klint Kubiak’s type of receiver. At 6-foot-0 and 192 pounds, he isn’t the biggest wideout, but his ability to win from the slot or out wide and create yards after the catch would be a good fit in Kubiak’s offense.
“Skyler Bell is a small-school wide receiver with a skill set that translates smoothly to the NFL as a slot or movement/motion Z receiver. He offers alignment versatility, mismatch creation, and yards after the catch. Against Power-4 competition, he proved he belonged on the same playing field.” — B/R’s Dame Parson
An outside cornerback may not be a pressing need in Las Vegas, but it couldn’t hurt to bring someone in who can push Darien Porter or Eric Stokes for a starting spot and at least provide some depth to a thin position group. Also, it’s a little surprising that he’s still on the board, so this could be another good value pickup.
“Muhammad has good coverage talent to offset his slender frame. He can man up from press or off and is a plus pattern-matcher, staying in-phase and shadowing break points. He displays outstanding vision and adheres to his zone-cover principles, allowing him to play with ideal efficiency on all three levels. He can get outmuscled by big, strong wideouts inside the route and at the catch-point, but he doesn’t give in and usually holds his own. He does a nice job of chopping pass-catchers down in space but a lack of play strength shows up in occasional broken tackles. Muhammad has Day 2 talent and starter-level ability.” — Zierlein
While Treydan Stukes has experience playing nickelback, he might be better off as a free safety in the pros. That’s also a more immediate need for the Raiders, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see the second-round pick patrol the backend of the defense. That would leave the unit without a long-term solution at nickel, though, which Scott can come in and fill.
“Scott has a similar frame and playing style to Jalen Pitre. When Pitre entered the league, there were concerns about his ability to play close to the line of scrimmage. He’s developed into one of the best nickel backs in the league and started 57 games in his first four seasons.” — McShay
What was said above about Scott can also be applied to Kilgore. Additionally, he was expected to be taken much sooner, giving Las Vegas some value with a Day 3 pick.
“Jalon Kilgore was built in a lab and explicitly designed to be an NFL defensive back. He has the size, athleticism, and speed to transition right away and make an impact while adding length to disrupt the catch point.” — B/R’s Daniel Harms
Wrapping up with one more wide receiver, what the 5-foot-10, 180-pound Burks lacks in size, he makes up for in explosiveness. The NFL Combine highlighted that, as the former Sooner ran a 4.30-second 40-yard dash and recorded a 42.5-inch vertical jump.