The Las Vegas Raiders’ early-season story has been built as much on rookies as on anything else.
At 3-3 heading into a home matchup with the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium, the Raiders have gotten real production from their first-year players while the spotlight has often landed elsewhere. The No. 1 overall pick, Fernando Mendoza, is still on the bench, and a lot of the conversation around the team has centered on expensive veterans who have not delivered.
But the rookie class keeps forcing its way into the picture.
When the 2026 NFL Draft ended, Las Vegas came away with 10 selections. Justin Melo, On SI’s NFL Draft expert, recently broke down every rookie class across the league and placed the Raiders at No. 3 overall. Given how many first-year players have already mattered, it’s not hard to see why.
The number in the building is striking, too. The Raiders have 17 rookies under their roof: eight on the 53-man roster, two on injured reserve, and seven on the practice squad. For Klint Kubiak’s first season as head coach, that kind of youth movement is unusual.
Of the 10 draft picks, eight are on the active roster, one is on injured reserve, and one is on the practice squad. The remaining seven rookies are undrafted players.
Kubiak and his staff have clearly had a hand in shaping that group, alongside general manager John Spytek and his personnel team, including Brian Stark, Brandon Hunt, Brandon Yeargan, and others. Nobody in the building is going to take a victory lap for it, but the early results have been obvious.
Kubiak made clear he sees both the short-term value and the bigger picture in this rookie wave.
"Yes, a lot of key contributors and guys that we're still counting on. I think that's a big part of being successful in the NFL is getting your young guys to play early, and credit to John Spytek for the young men that he's brought in, not only as good players, but guys that are team-oriented individuals that are about the Raider Way."
He also pointed to the reality that comes with playing young players in this league.
"So, they just have to keep developing. And young guys, they have setbacks too.
You have a good game, okay, you get beat, and now you just keep competing. That's the league.
It's the most competitive business that I know, and that's what makes it the most rewarding."
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There is also some optimism at receiver after Jalen Nailor returned, but the bigger issue is finding the right balance between immediate help and long-term depth. Run blocking still needs work, and the Raiders know there are spots where an extra body could matter, especially if they decide the best move is to add competition before the deadline passes. [Read more 🡒]