The Las Vegas Raiders had ample opportunity to bolster the wide receiver room this offseason.
First came free agency in mid-March and the Silver & Black inked Jalen Nailor and Dareke Young. The pair of wide receiver additions did little to move the needle for many. So much so, we questioned should the Raiders add another veteran wideout just three days into the free agency market opening.
But alas, the 2026 NFL Draft was the following month at the tail end of April and if the wide receiver room indeed
needed bolstering, it would come then. It took 195 selections before the Silver & Black addressed the wide receiver position by selecting explosive Oregon product Malik Benson in the sixth round.
Perhaps, we should take what general manager John Spytek and head coach Klint Kubiak say at face value? After all, both said numerous times during media engagements they like the makeup of the wide receiver room in Las Vegas. Kubiak name dropped Tre Tucker as someone he likes a lot, ditto for Spytek. The GM name dropped Jack Bech, himself.
And how could he not?
The Raiders chief personnel man drafted Bech in the second round of the 2025 draft (58th overall), along with Dont’e Thornton Jr. in the fourth round (108th overall). It certainly appears Spytek, Kubiak, and the Raiders are going to give the young talent ample opportunity to prove their worth and see if the prospect evaluation that merited them getting selected can combine with coaching and development to get the wide receivers on track.
Which is why it’s no surprise to see our Matt Holder list Bech as the top winner after the Raiders’ 2026 draft excursion. As Holder noted, the myriad of wide receiver prospects visiting Las Vegas during the draft process was much ado about nothing as it was merely a smoke screen/due diligence on the Raiders part.
Benson was the lone prospect selected over the course of the seven-round affair and the wide receiver room in La Vegas is quite young as veteran Philip Dorsett II is the elder statesman of the position group at 33 years old. Nailor is the second oldest at 27. Tucker (25) is expected to make a go at earning a starting nod with Bech (23), Thornton (23) and a slew of others looking to win jobs, too.
The Raiders did ink a few undrafted free agents to round out the 90-man roster with big wide receivers E.J. Williams (6-foot-3, 205 pounds, Indiana) and Chase Roberts (6-foot-4, 210 pounds, BYU). And each will get their opportunity prove they belong.
But the onus of a Year 2 jump falls squarely on the shoulders of both Bech and Thornton. Sure, Kubiak’s play calling and usage of the pair, alongside the teachings of wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni plays a big role, too. But the pair of second-year wide receivers need to take their respective careers by the throat, squeeze, and prove they are worthy of the belief Spytek placed on them to get drafted.
Bech played in 16 games and was targeted 29 times hauling in 20 passes for 224 yards (long of 37) with no touchdowns. Thornton, meanwhile, drew 30 targets hauling in 10 passes for 135 yards (long of 36) with zero touchdowns. Their rookie usage was all over the map and when the team was in tank mode — an opportune time to get rookies valuable Year 1 live fire snaps — Bech and Thornton remained afterthoughts by the previous staff.
While nothing has been substantiated in this regard, there was smoke that Spytek and former head coach Pete Carroll weren’t on the same page and it’s rumored the coaching staff was reluctant to play younger talent and preferred veterans like Meyers and Tyler Lockett at wide receiver. That isn’t the case anymore and — time will tell — Spytek and Kubiak are aligned.
Bech, a physical possession type from TCU at 6-foot-1 and 214 pounds, profiles as the type of wideout the Raiders are lacking since they traded veteran Jakobi Meyers to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Bech’s physicality and route running should fit will within Kubiak’s offense in Las Vegas. Able to operate on the perimeter or interior, the TCU product has the versatility to line up at a variety of spots on the outside and in the slot much like his predecessor Meyers. Bech has the mental and physical toughness to run crossers and digs horizontally and brings arm-tackling ability to expand on Kubiak-coveted yards after the catch (YAC).
The Raiders head coach is the type of play caller that schemes his pass catchers into space and it’s that philosophy which is a boon for Bech who can maximize his physical style of play in Kubiak’s offense.
Bech’s size and mentality also fits another key trait Kubiak seeks from his wide receivers: Run blocking. For Kubiak’s zone running game to thrive, it requires not only the offensive linemen and tight ends working in unison, but wideouts being able to block paves the way for wide and outside zone runs to flourish.
Thornton, a rare blend of size and speed from Tennessee at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds with 4.30-second 40-yard dash fleet feet, is a unicorn type pass catcher. Kubiak has a history of integrating speed types into his offense with Rashid Shaheed (New Orleans/Seattle Seahawks) and Marquez Valdez-Scantling (Seahawks). And the coach knows how to isolate defenders and Thornton would be Kubiak’s tallest speed receiver and a vertical nightmare for opposing defenses.
Unlike his much high drafted position-mate Bech, Thornton doesn’t bring the same route-running polish to the table. For Thornton to become more than just a fast and tall receiver, he’ll need to expand and refine his route tree as receivers in a Kubiak offense can make adjustments based on defensive coverage and this requires both a high football IQ and ability to run ever route available.
What kind of sophomore surge Bech and Thornton make will be intriguing to watch. Opportunities and snaps will be there for the taking, especially for a rookie head coach helming the ship. Kubiak is a young and bright offensive mind but the Silver & Black has a tendency to dull that light.
But perhaps, this is the beginning of a different story. One that sees a Raider resurgence.
How Bech and Thornton do from here on in provides two things though: We’ll get to see if Spytek’s personnel group was right in bringing the pair of wide receivers to the Silver & Black. And if Kubiak’s staff is smarter and much better group than what preceded them.
