John Spytek wastes no time, using bold trades in our latest mock to show the Las Vegas Raiders are serious about reshaping the roster.
Say what you will about Spytek this offseason, but the man has been on a mission. His first year was a mixed bag, but it’s obvious in many ways, proving that he and former head coach Pete Carroll were not in sync. Neither truly shared the other’s vision; you can argue Carroll was trying to “win now,” overrelying on his veterans and refusing to give playing time to many of Spytek’s rookies. Let’s call it what it was: a complete debacle.
Entering Year 2 of his reign, Spytek moved quickly to rectify things as he addressed many needs for the Raiders. Reshaping the defense was clearly at the top of his list, as several key free agents were added. Still, you don’t win the Super Bowl in March; there’s still much work to do. As he did with free agency, Spytek will remain aggressive, and there’s no reason to believe he won’t maintain his approach in the NFL draft. A flurry of trades and maneuvers could very well give the Raiders a massive youth infusion. Let’s examine a possible mock scenario, shall we?
Raiders 7-Round Mock Draft: A flurry of trades define Spytek’s second draft
Round 1, No. 1: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
The grandson of Cuban immigrants who fled to Miami never chose the easy path. Fernando Mendoza bypassed the Ivy League, redshirted at Cal, and transferred to Indiana, where he accomplished something almost no one in college football history has achieved: going undefeated and winning the Heisman Trophy in the same season.
Now Las Vegas is watching.
At 6-foot-4½ with a quick release, elite back-shoulder precision and a plus-accuracy rate that led all draft-eligible quarterbacks, Mendoza isn’t just a feel-good story. He’s a legitimate NFL prospect.
Yes, questions linger. Limited snaps under center, fewer intermediate throws. But every generational quarterback carries question marks entering the draft. The Raiders have burned their fan base before with quarterback decisions. This one, however, might actually be worth the gamble.
The kid earned it the hard way.
Day 2 Trade Alert
Raiders receive Rd. 2 54th pick, Rd. 3 68th pick
Eagles receive: Rd. 2 36th pick
Round 2, No. 54: Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama
Alabama’s leading receiver checks real boxes. Good size, smooth routes, impressive yards after contact and the versatility to line up anywhere. On paper, Germie Bernard looks like exactly what Las Vegas needs.
But dig deeper and the concerns surface fast. Ordinary deep speed. Inconsistent contested catches. Not quite elusive enough to shake defenders in tight spaces. Bernard projects as a solid WR2 or WR3, which is fine, but the Raiders need more than fine. They need a difference-maker.
Bernard could contribute. Whether he transforms an offense is a much harder sell.
Round 3, No. 68: Devin Moore, CB, Florida
Nobody is buzzing about Devin Moore. Maybe they should be.
The 6-foot-3 cornerback from the SEC possesses all the attributes a modern NFL defense desires: elite size, impressive length, physical press coverage skills, reliable tackling, and five career interceptions against some of college football’s top quarterbacks. He did not inflate those numbers against inferior competition.
Moore got better every single season. That kind of trajectory matters more than a highlight reel.
The Raiders have struggled to find a true boundary corner for years. Moore won’t headline any draft-day broadcasts, but three years from now, Las Vegas fans might be asking why nobody talked about him more.
Day 2 Trade Alert
Raiders receive: Rd. 3 77th pick, Rd. 4 116th pick, Rd. 5 155th pick
Buccaneers receive: Rd. 3 67th pick, Rd. 6 185th pick
Round 3, No. 77: Gracen Holton, DL, Oklahoma
Nobody hands Gracen Holton anything. At 6-foot-3 and undersized for a 3-technique, he isn’t built like a traditional NFL interior disruptor. But turn on the film and something becomes clear fast. This kid finds a way.
Quick hands, relentless pursuit, disciplined gap integrity and a motor that simply does not quit. Holton creates opportunities for everyone around him.
The catch? Scheme fit is everything. Plant him in the wrong defense and he disappears. Put him in the right one and Spytek might have quietly stolen one of the draft’s best values.
Round 4, No. 102: Billy Schrauth, OG, Notre Dame
Zero sacks allowed and two hurries across 213 pass-blocking snaps in 2025. Let that sink in.
Billy Schrauth isn’t flashy. Guards never are. But the Notre Dame captain does everything a franchise offensive lineman is supposed to do. Anchor against bull rushers. Climb to the second level. Communicate protections pre-snap. Play both guard spots without missing a beat.
The Raiders have watched quarterbacks get destroyed behind a patchwork offensive line for years. Schrauth won’t make headlines on draft day.
But on the days that actually matter, when the pocket holds and the quarterback throws, fans will remember his name.
Round 4, No. 116: Jaydn Ott, RB, Oklahoma
At his best, Jaydn Ott looked like a first-round talent. Smooth, patient, creative and reliable out of the backfield with soft hands and the vision to turn broken plays into first downs.
Then 2024 happened. Then Oklahoma happened.
Injuries, a transfer controversy and character questions have quietly unraveled what once was a compelling draft case. Add inconsistent pass protection, a finesse running style and a tendency to run upright and the concerns stack up fast. Ott has real juice. But the Raiders need a legitimate running back behind Ashton Jeanty; maybe Ott could be exactly that.
Round 4, No. 117: Mikail Kamara, EDGE, Indiana
Defensive MVP of the national championship game. Ten sacks in the Big Ten. A Bednarik Award semifinalist who dominated at every level he has played.
Mikail Kamara isn’t a project. He’s a producer.
Quick off the line, violent hands, a relentless motor and enough bend and flexibility to turn corners that bigger pass rushers simply cannot. He didn’t just survive the jump from the Sun Belt to the Big Ten. He thrived.
The Raiders have needed a legitimate edge rusher for years. They have burned draft picks, signed free agents and crossed their fingers. Kamara just spent an entire college career proving he deserves to be the answer.
Round 4, No. 134: Brian Parker II, OT, Duke
Watch Brian Parker II on tape and one thing jumps out immediately. This man finishes blocks. Aggressive, physical, and relentless through the whistle with quick hands, tight technique and the lower body mobility to sustain and re-leverage when defenders try to shed him.
But the NFL is unforgiving with limitations, and Parker has real ones. Short arms. Mediocre mass. A tendency to drop his eyes into contact that better defenders will exploit without hesitation.
Parker projects as a smart, scheme-dependent lineman with a real ceiling in zone-based offenses.
Whether that ceiling is high enough for Spytek is the question worth asking.
Round 5, No. 155: Michael Taaffe, DB, Texas
He walked on at Texas without a scholarship offer and became the heartbeat of one of college football’s best defenses. When Taaffe broke his hand midseason, the Longhorns’ secondary fell apart. That tells you everything.
Sharp instincts, physical coverage and the football IQ to get everyone lined up correctly. At 189 pounds with limited elite speed, the concerns are legitimate. But the Raiders don’t just need athletes. They need smart, dependable football players.
Michael Taaffe has been throughout his entire career.
Round 5, No. 175: Charles Demmings, CB, SFA
Over five years and nearly 2,000 snaps at Stephen F. Austin, Charles Demmings was more than productive—his 80.4 coverage grade and 39.8 passer rating allowed in 2025 underscored just how dominant he was.
But here is the question nobody can answer yet. Was he dominant because he is genuinely NFL-ready or because he rarely faced anyone close to NFL-caliber talent? At 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds with clean technique and long-term starting experience, Demmings has the frame and the foundation.
The Southland Conference, however, is not the SEC. That gap is real but if the talent is there, who cares, right?
Day 3 Trade Alert
Raiders receive: Rd. 6 182nd pick
Bills receive: Rd. 6 208th pick, Rd. 7 219th pick, ’27 7th round pick
Round 6, No. 182: Owen Heinecke, LB, Oklahoma
The resume is real. Seventy-four tackles, 12 for a loss, three sacks and a forced fumble in his first season as a starter. Owen Heinecke arrived late to football and made up for lost time fast.
But the concerns are just as real. Limited lateral agility. Underwhelming play strength. Blockers who are ready for him tend to put him on the ground. Heinecke is a point-and-shoot linebacker built for one specific job. In the right scheme, he’s a steal. In the wrong one, he’s a liability.
Rob Leonard and the Raiders better know exactly how they plan to use him.
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images