Raiders Draft Same Player in 2nd Round of Latest Kiper, Brugler Mocks

The NFL Draft is just over a week away, and while there isn’t any mystery around the Raiders’ first pick, the team’s second-round pick could go in several different directions.

Mock drafts have been pouring in over the last few days, so let’s take a look at who three prominent analysts in the industry are projecting to the Raiders in the second round.

Dane Brugler, The Athletic

Kayden McDonald, defensive tackle, Ohio State

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

Kayden McDonald, defensive tackle, Ohio State

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.”

Todd McShay, The McShay Report

Chase Bisontis, Guard, Texas A&M

The Raiders could use some help in the interior of their offensive line, but if Jackson Powers-Johnson is in the organization’s long-term plans, they shouldn’t be desperate for an offensive guard at this stage in the draft.

Based on McShay’s Big Board in March, Bisontis would be a little bit of a reach for the Raiders in the early second round.

For anyone who missed it, Maxx Crosby offered a name in this year’s draft class that he views as one of the steals of the draft.

“This is my guy I’m going with and I’m going pure off not opinion and all this other sh–. I’m going off straight film and what I’ve seen,” the Raiders’ star pass rusher said on The Rush last week.

“It’s [Akheem] Mesidor from Miami. Defensive end. He’s going to be up there. He’s going to be a pretty high draft pick for sure. And Rueben Bain, respectfully, he’s gotten all the praise. He deserves all the praise because he’s an absolute dog. It has nothing to do with that. But we come on the show, we give people their flowers when they deserve it and some guys that go a little bit under the radar. I feel like Mesidor, just watching some of his tape, his bend is crazy. The way he’s able to get around the edge, the way he’s able to get off the ball, he’s freaky.”

“He’s got some traits that you can’t coach,” Crosby continued. “I think a guy like him could come in and play right away because he’s 25 years old, which is like, some teams might look at as a bad thing. But also if you need a guy right now to come in and play, I feel like a guy like him, like he’s already developed, he’s a grown *** man. He could come in and definitely make some noise early on. I’ve been watching him from afar and I like watching both those Miami guys get after it. They’re legit.

“But Mesidor, he’s very underrated to me. And I think he’s one of the best, if not the best just pure pass rush prospect in this draft… I think he’s going to be really good.”

With the 36th pick in the draft, the Raiders probably won’t have an opportunity at Mesidor, would a trade up be out of the question?

x: @raidersbeat

🚨MEL KIPER’S FINAL 2026 MOCK DRAFT🚨 Part 1 w/Field Yates & Greeny! | First Draft🏈

Welcome back to “First Draft”! Hosted by Mike Greenberg, Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr., we’re diving into Mel’s FINAL Mock Draft of 2026! #nfl espn #firstdraft #nfl #nfldraft #nfldraft2026 #ncaa #ncaafootball #sports 00:00 Welcome to the show!