We all know who the Las Vegas Raiders will pick No. 1 overall, but the 36th overall selection will be just as pivotal for Silver and Black. Let’s see who the Raider Ramble staff would pick in that spot.
Everyone knows the Raiders are on the clock with the No. 1 pick. Still, you shouldn’t sleep on what happens the next day. Pick No. 36 might not come with the glitz and glamour of selecting first overall. However, it could end up being just as important to the future of this franchise. History shows that second-round picks have a funny way of becoming cornerstone players. For Vegas, they need as many of those as possible.
General manager John Spytek and head coach Klint Kubiak have plenty to figure out. Raider Nation, for their part, has already talked the top pick half to death. So let’s shift the conversation. The Ramble fellas took a crack at who the Silver and Black should target when Day 2 rolls around and the 36th pick is on the board.
With the 36th pick, the Raiders select…
Mario Tovar | @_TheRaiderRamble
The obvious choice for the 36th pick, if he is available, is Lee Hunter, the defensive tackle from Texas Tech. Hunter is a disruptive interior presence who has the athleticism and motor to make an immediate impact at the next level. His ability to collapse the pocket from the inside gives the Raiders a pass-rushing dimension that has been sorely missing up front.
Pairing Hunter with the rest of Las Vegas’ defensive line would give coordinator Rob Leonard a versatile and dangerous front to build around.
Will Razo | @bigwillystyl
Kayden McDonald, a 6-3, 326-pound defensive tackle from Ohio State, brings heavy hands, natural leverage, and a strong anchor to the interior. He controls linemen, clogs gaps, and stacks up tackles in the run game with consistency.
McDonald’s game is built on quick recognition and violent initial contact. He has a knack for shedding blocks while keeping gap integrity intact. That makes him a reliable presence against the run on every down.
The fit with Las Vegas could not be more natural. As the Raiders transition to coordinator Rob Leonard’s projected 3-4 defense, McDonald profiles as an ideal nose tackle anchor, providing the rugged, space-eating presence the front needs while giving linebackers room to roam and make plays.
Should the Raiders pick a wide receiver on Day 2?
Phil Robinson III | @PhilRobinsonIII
With the 36th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders select Elijah Sarratt.
The free agency market for quality, cost-effective wide receivers was thin this offseason, leaving Las Vegas without a true No. 1 option at the position. Sarratt addresses that need directly.
A familiar target who checks every box, Sarratt fits what head coach Klint Kubiak wants in his offense and gives presumptive No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza a reliable weapon to grow with from Day 1.
Sonny Guzik | @GuzikTheWriter
The Raiders need to reunite Fernando Mendoza with his former teammate, cornerback D’Angelo Ponds. If the star defender is available in the early second round, you take him and add him to a young and fast secondary. Ponds brings the kind of press coverage skills and ball-hawking instincts that Las Vegas has been searching for at the position.
His familiarity with Mendoza could help expedite the chemistry-building process as they both transition from college to the professional level. Selecting Ponds at No. 36 would provide the Raiders with one of the top young cornerbacks in this draft class, offering excellent value.
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images