The Raiders walked away from the 2025 draft with two clear starters on offense and while everyone was familiar with Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty going into the draft, TCU wide receiver Jack Bech is a player that wasn’t in the same spotlight during his college career.
Bech might not have the impact of Jeanty in his rookie year, but the 22-year-old wideout is going to fill a huge void on the roster. In fact, not many rookie wide receivers landed in a better situation than Bech did with the Raiders.
According to Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter, the Raiders weren’t the only team trying to grab Bech in the second round and, for the second year in a row, the Raiders were able to snag one of the players Rams head coach Sean McVay was trying to get.
“Jack Bech is a great player. First-round grade on him. And they got him in the second round. And so that’s a guy that they thought they stole,” Carpenter said on the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast. “I can tell you, I got three texts, three texts from NFL executives when the Raiders picked him. One of them was when they picked him. A couple were that night afterwards, when we were exchanging, that used the term, ‘They stole him.'”
“Other teams loved [Bech]. There was, I’m told by an executive, there was two that I know of, and I think three teams trying to trade up to get him. I’m told that the Rams loved him, but the Raiders were able to snag him.”
Bech was widely projected to be drafted in the second round, but he was a player that was gaining momentum in the weeks leading up to the draft.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler placed a 2nd/3rd round grade on Bech and believes he has some similar traits to Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua.
This was Brugler’s analysis on Bech ahead of the draft…
“A one-year starter at TCU, Bech was an outside receiver (primarily to the right of the formation) in offensive coordinator Kendal Briles’ up-tempo, spread attack. As a hybrid receiver/tight end as a true freshman at LSU, he was part of a pass-catching group that included four future NFL Draft picks (Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr., Kayshon Boutte, Trey Palmer), yet it was Bech who led the Tigers in receptions in 2021. After the coaching change in Baton Rouge, he transferred to TCU but battled injuries in 2023 before breaking out as a senior, becoming just the fifth player in program history to surpass 1,000 yards receiving in a season.
Although he isn’t super dynamic, Bech is a smooth, physical athlete who can get in and out of breaks with gear change and route savvy (head fakes, body lean, etc.). He is a skilled ball tracker and plays with supreme confidence in his ability to adjust, frame and finish grabs (one drop on 91 targets in 2024). Overall, Bech’s acceleration is more build-up than immediate, and he will need to prove himself versus NFL press coverage, but he is urgent as a route runner with the ball-winning skills and competitive personality that will play. He has experience both inside and outside, and his play style is reminiscent of Puka Nacua.“
x: @raidersbeat
The NFL stands for, not for long if you’re injurious. And the NFL tends to expose those prone to injuries. Doesn’t matter how good you are if you can’t stay on the field.
Really looking forward to seeing how Bech does next season. The opportunity for playing time is certainly there he just needs to impress enough during training camp. Also, looking forward to watching Donte Thornton, as he has a unique skillset (size&speed). We definitely need a deep threat at WR.
I think Spark and Carroll did real good with the draft and where the cream of this crop will rise will be with the top 2 receivers and the cornerback they took.. if the raiders and bring these guys on smoothly everyone will be talking about them at the end of the season !!
Injurious?
Look it up. Football is an injurious sport that some players can’t endure.
I think the Raiders got some good players but I was not a fan of sitting with your hands cross for 50 picks between 58 and 108 and then we did it again later in the draft. Just watching good player after good player getting taken and us doing nothing was excruciating
I agree. I was not all that impressed with the draft haul. Jeanty was a must but they really could have bolstered the O line in round two. Trading back from 37 to 59 was a bad move. And then no 5th round pick. I understand wanting more pics but that hurt. I know getting another 3rd and 4th was good but we really needed to keep our first and second pics in my opinion.
I wish I could be Hondo & pretend that NFL executives are texting him what other team’s draft boards look like
Wow Hondo is lying again? Nobody’s calling him and giving out that kinda info. He makes shite up all the time. It seemed to me Pete has more say on the roster than Spytek. RB at 6 overdrafted. Plenty of good RBs went 20th on. They should’ve traded back to get more picks.