The Las Vegas Raiders could be looking to draft a wideout in Day 2 who has the potential to be a WR1. Moreover, taking a wide receiver will give Fernando Mendoza, who is expected to go No. 1 overall, another target in the passing game.
As a result, it would make sense for the Silver and Black to go after a wideout with whom Mendoza already has a connection. There are two potential options that the Raiders can look at in Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt.
Nonetheless, the question will be which has the higher upside to be a potential WR1 for Las Vegas. For Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton, that would be Cooper.
“Even if the Raiders believe Tre Tucker can take a leap in his fourth season or wideouts Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr. make strides after nondescript rookie campaigns, they could help presumptive No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza by reuniting him with Omar Cooper Jr.,” Moton wrote in an article published on March 24.
“With Mendoza under center, Cooper saw a significant spike in his production, leading the Indiana Hoosiers in catches (69) and receiving yards (937) last year. He also finished with 13 touchdown receptions.
“Even before Mendoza arrived in Bloomington, Cooper flashed big-play ability, averaging 21.2 yards per reception in 2024. His rapport with the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner is undeniable, though. Assuming the Raiders draft Mendoza and want him to get off to a quick start, they should consider bringing in one of his top receivers early on Day 2 of the draft.”
Chris Canty: Raiders Best Served Trading No. 1 Pick
Despite the Raiders needing a franchise signal-caller and Mendoza potentially being that, former NFL player and ESPN Radio host Chris Canty believes that the team should auction off the No. 1 pick to the highest bidder.
“Whether or not you think Ty Simpson or Fernando Mendoza is the best quarterback prospect in this draft is subjective, but what [ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky] just pointed out tells me there is no can’t-miss quarterback prospect in this draft,” Canty said on the March 23 edition of UNSPORTSMANLIKE. “If that’s the case, then the Las Vegas Raiders need to hold an auction for the No. 1 overall pick.
“If you have a quarterback prospect, whether it’s Mendoza or Ty Simpson, No. 1 on your board, and it’s debatable whether or not you can mess this kid up, then you should probably consider trading down if there’s a team that’s willing to give you a king’s ransom to move up to No. 1 to take either one of them, whether that ends up being the New York Jets, the Arizona Cardinals, or the Cleveland Browns.”
Should the Raiders Look to Secure Another First-Round Pick?
Moreover, Canty says, because there are teams with multiple first-round picks, the Raiders should be listening, considering that the team is undergoing a multi-year rebuild and there’s no quick fix.
“These franchises that have multiple first-round picks, these franchises that are listless when it comes to being able to find a franchise guy, you should be auctioning that pick off because if you’re the Raiders, you understand that this is a multi-year rebuild that you are about to undergo with your new head coach, Klint Kubiak,” Canty added. “The best thing that you can do is stockpile picks so you can acquire top-tier talent.”
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