There isn’t any mystery around the player the Raiders are taking with the first pick in the 2026 draft, but who will John Spytek and company settle on in the second round?
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Raider take a wide receiver, lineman or cornerback in the second round, but one player seems to have become the popular pick with the draft now just a day away.
An offensive guard or wide receiver might be tempting in the second round, but the popular name right now for the Raiders in round two is Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald.
McDonald has been the pick for the Silver & Black from a host of analysts and media personalities covering the team, but will he fall in the draft to the 36th pick?
Paul Gutierrez, Raiders Team Media
Straight from the Raiders’ website, Gutierrez says McDonald would be a perfect fit in the team’s new 3-4 defensive scheme…
“The Raiders are shifting to a 3-4 base defense and in desperate need of a space eater in the middle of the D-line. Lo and behold, McDonald, a dominant run defender and space-clogger, is available in this mock. No need to hesitate, then.“
Q Myers and Lincoln Kennedy, Locked on Raiders Squad Show
Myers and Kennedy agreed on the pick, and Kennedy said he felt the Raiders should use their second-round pick on a defensive tackle one way or another…
“This is a tough one. I’ve never been in a war room, and I would have some issues because I thought honestly that this second pick should go to defensive tackle. And so I’m leaning towards Kayden McDonald. But Blake Miller is awfully tense. That’s hard to pass up. That’s hard to pass up…
But there’s some things that they need, and I would like to address the offensive line, which I’m probably addressing in the later round, but you already know how I feel about that. So I like Kayden McDonald.”
Dane Brugler, The Athletic
From his 2026 draft guide (The Beast), Brugler rated McDonald as the no. 1 defensive tackle in this year’s draft class…
“A one-year starter at Ohio State, McDonald lined up as the nose guard in defensive coordinator Matt Patricia’s versatile front. After handling a backup role as a sophomore, he became a starter in 2025, as the Buckeyes had to replace all four starters from their 2024 national title-winning defensive line. McDonald emerged as an All-American and was the most dominant defensive player on several of Ohio State’s 2025 tapes, which says a lot considering the defense’s talent.
McDonald’s powerful skill set is at its best when he acts as a run defender. He resets the line of scrimmage with his initial burst and power, attacking and shucking blocks from a leveraged position. He plays games of peek-a-boo (and often wins) with ball carriers willing to test A-gap run lanes, and his awareness allows him to fill up the stat sheet with line-of-scrimmage stops. However, he had just 695 career snaps (32 defensive snaps per game in 2025), and his inexperience will be more noticeable against NFL blockers.
McDonald will require time to develop a pass-rush identity, but his dominant run-game qualities will make him immediately useful from different interior alignments. He projects as an early-down rookie, with a role that should continue to expand.“
Mel Kiper, ESPN
From his latest two-round mock draft, Kiper has McDonald as one of the top 25 players in this year’s draft class…
“The final player from my current top-25 Big Board, McDonald can plug the middle at 6-foot-2 and 326 pounds. He had 17 run stops last season. But he’s more than just a run stopper; McDonald added 3.5 sacks and has some untapped potential in that area. He emerged in a big way during the 2025 season, and he could do wonders for the Raiders’ defense.”
For anyone unfamiliar with McDonald, this was NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein on McDonald as an NFL prospect…
“A talented run defender, McDonald plays with natural leverage and rattles pads with his initial contact. He’s quick to locate ball-carriers, play off of blocks and rally to the action. His technique is a bit underdeveloped and he’s not a natural drain-clogger against double teams, but he still managed an unusually high tackle rate as an interior defender. Quicker hand strikes should allow for more efficient reps and earlier wins at the point. He offers limited rush value, so his money will be made by giving grief to centers and guards as an even-front nose tackle with starting potential.”
Strengths
- Rare tackle/TFL production for interior defender.
- Built with well-proportioned thickness.
- Jolts blockers with his knock-back power.
- Uses leverage to pierce gaps and disrupt play design.
- Excellent run-game recognition from early in the snap.
- Fights to maintain run fits against wide zone blocking schemes.
- Plays around blocks with his eyes to locate and track ball-carriers.
- Makes accurate shed choices to defend both gaps.
- Very good change-of-direction quickness in small spaces.
Weaknesses
- More of an ooze rusher than a pocket collapser.
- Doesn’t gain enough width on lateral slide steps to threaten edges as a rusher.
- Displaced up to three yards by hip-to-hip blocks.
- Plays with slow power, making it tougher to quickly shed.
- Delayed in activating hands and getting them into blockers.
Sound like the kind of player the Raiders could use in the middle of the defense?
x: @raidersbeat
