The Raiders did not treat Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft like clean-up duty.
Instead, they treated it like roster-building, using six picks to add competition in the secondary, speed to the offense, and a run-stopping body inside. Las Vegas opened Day 3 by swinging at cornerback, then kept layering traits the staff keeps stressing: versatility, toughness, and earning it.
The Day 3 throughline: Compete in every room
Director of college scouting Brandon Yeargan said the Raiders entered the weekend chasing 10 “great players,” and he framed the draft as a people business first.
“Culture starts with people,” Yeargan said.
Still, he and VP of player personnel Brandon Hunt kept coming back to the same goal: build a roster where players win jobs instead of receiving them. Hunt called it “competition in every room,” and Yeargan said the next step comes when the rookies mix with veterans.
“We’re really excited to see these guys get with the vets,” Yeargan said.
No. 101: Jermod McCoy calls the slide “fuel”
The Raiders’ first Day 3 pick arrived with the obvious question attached. Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy, listed by the club at 6-0 and 193 pounds, said he feels good after his knee injury and is ready to follow whatever plan the team sets.
“Whatever the team’s plan for me is is what I’ll be doing,” McCoy said.
McCoy said he had a Zoom call with the Raiders the day before the draft. As the night stretched, he said he stayed locked in because getting drafted is still the blessing.
“It’s just fuel to be honest,” McCoy said.
McCoy also pointed to a small football twist that will matter once camp begins. He said his first college interception came against Fernando Mendoza, and now they share a locker room.
“It was a good good to know we going to be on the same team,” McCoy said.
No. 122: Mike Washington Jr. sees “Thunder and Lightning” with Jeanty
The Raiders traded up for Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr., listed by the club at 6-1 and 223 pounds. Washington said he already sees the pairing with Ashton Jeanty in simple terms.
“All I could think of is Thunder and Lightning,” Washington said.
He backed it with straight-line speed, saying his best 40 time came at the combine.
“I had PR at the combine with a 4-33,” Washington said.
Washington also sounded like a Kubiak fit, noting he ran wide zone and inside zone in Arkansas’ offense. He said his breakout came when he got obsessive about details like reads and steps. He credited discipline learned at home, pointing to an ex-Marine brother and a family that taught him consistency over emotion.
“Motivated, our emotions. They come and go,” Washington said. “But discipline is … every single day.”
No. 150: Dalton Johnson arrives with his best friend, and a pick acquired in a trade
Safety Dalton Johnson, listed by the club at 5-10 and 192 pounds, made the selection personal fast. He said getting drafted is one moment. Getting drafted to join your best friend is another.
“That’s my boy. We’re best friends,” Johnson said of Treydan Stukes, the Raiders’ second-round safety from Arizona.
“Being drafted to a team that I get to go somewhere with my best friend … I’m super excited,” Johnson said.
The pick also came with a clean transaction backstory. ESPN reported the Raiders acquired the No. 150 pick and the No. 219 pick from New Orleans in exchange for edge rusher Tyree Wilson, and Las Vegas used No. 150 on Johnson.
Johnson said he’s ready to contribute however the Raiders need, whether that starts on special teams or defense.
“Whatever my role is … I’m bringing 100%,” he said.
No. 175 and No. 195: Two skill additions who talk like workers
Cornerback Hezekiah Masses, listed by the club at 6-0 and 179 pounds, said his instincts and IQ separate him. He credited a physical transformation for his jump, saying he became “bigger, stronger, and faster” before his final season.
“My IQ and my instincts … unmatched,” Masses said.
Masses also said former Cal teammates spoke highly of Mendoza, even though Masses did not overlap with him in Berkeley.
“Fernando just a great guy … great leadership,” Masses said.
At No. 195, the Raiders added Oregon wide receiver Malik Benson, listed by the club at 6-1 and 189 pounds. Benson said he can fill multiple roles right away, from deep threat to special teams.
“Do whatever they need me to do,” Benson said.
He also said he spoke with Mendoza at the combine and came away impressed with who he is beyond football.
“I just realized how humble he is,” Benson said.
Benson said he watched Seattle’s offense during its Super Bowl run and paid attention to how receivers were deployed. He said he plans to show he is more than a vertical option in a system that asks wideouts to do plenty.
“I can run every single route,” Benson said.
No. 229: Brandon Cleveland brings a nose tackle’s mindset
The Raiders closed the draft with NC State defensive tackle Brandon Cleveland, listed by the club at 6-3 and 307 pounds. Cleveland called himself a run stopper with heavy hands and a strong point of attack.
“I’m a great run stopper,” Cleveland said.
He also said he moved across the defensive front in college before settling into the role he plays best.
“I found what I’m best at, which is nose tackle,” he said.
Cleveland added that he plans to bring a team-first approach to the locker room.
“I’m going to love everybody and care for everybody,” Cleveland said.
What it adds up to
Day 1 delivered the headline. Meanwhile, Day 3 delivered the depth that makes camp uncomfortable, and that’s the point.
McCoy called it fuel. Washington called it Thunder and Lightning. Johnson called it brotherhood. Benson called it preparation. Cleveland called it tenacity.
Next, the Raiders will learn who earns snaps when the pads come on.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
