Finding perfect Las Vegas Raiders 2026 Draft defensive line targets

Dec 2, 2023; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Christen Miller (52) tackles Alabama Crimson Tide running back Jam Miller (26) in the first quarter of the SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images The NFL Draft is a little over a month away, and the Raiders will hold the 1st overall pick (1st round), 36th overall (2nd round), 67th overall (3rd round), 102nd, 117th, and 134th overall in the 4th round, 175th (5th round), 185th and 208th in the sixth round, and 219th in the seventh round. The Raiders hold 10 overall draft picks, among the most in the NFL this year, despite missing out on the 14th overall pick from the Ravens.

The Raiders have consistently been projected as taking a nose tackle highly in the 2026 draft, the Raiders likely won’t have a true 0-Tech on the field all that often, as teams don’t sit in base assignments more than 24-28% of the time based on the last three seasons. Additionally, Las Vegas will have a 1-shade nose tackle more often than a 0-Tech, requiring their “nose tackle” to be more reliant on quick inside leverage, instead of pure mass that can clog gaps. I broke down what exactly to expect from the Raiders DL here that will also outline what the Raiders are going to have on their roster already.

New defensive coordinator Rob Leonard is likely to have an adaptation of both Mike MacDonald’s & Brian Flores systems, after coaching under both. Last season, Seattle ran a true )-Tech/Nose just 61 times, and they had a 1-Tech on field just 103 snaps last season. That has slightly changed from MacDonald having a nose 101 times in 2024 and a 1-Tech 214 times in 2024 as well, though he’s held firm around 70-78 and 100-124 majority of his NFL career.

Taking a look at the Vikings, they ran a true nose tackle 119 snaps, with a 1-Tech 98 snaps. Flores has consistently held between 102-155 snaps with a 0-Tech, and 100-134 with a 1-Tech in his career. Rob Leonard has never ran a true 3-4 front, and it’s likely that front isn’t going to be seen often with how often the Raiders look to run a versatile defense, will rotate into 4 man, 5 man, over, under, and bear fronts.