The Las Vegas Raiders moved down two spots in a deal with the Texans and still landed Arizona star safety Treydan Stukes.
The Las Vegas Raiders didn't surprise anybody by selecting Indiana Hoosiers quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Mendoza wasn't in Pittsburgh on Thursday night as he chose to celebrate with his family in Florida, but Mendoza did fly to Las Vegas on Friday.
Nonetheless, the real question for the Raiders began on Day of the NFL Draft with Las Vegas picking at No. 36.
However, the Raiders traded down with the Houston Texans. The Texans sent the Raiders picks No. 38 and No. 91 for No. 36 and No. 117, so excellent value for Las Vegas.
The Texans then selected Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, and the Raiders wound up taking Arizona safety Treydan Stukes, who is a player they would've selected at No. 36, so this is a home run by Las Vegas.
ESPN's Matt Miller had the Raiders selecting Stukes in his mock draft released on Friday, and they do just that, but two picks later than initially thought after trading with Houston.
Stukes is now the third safety to be selected, and he goes ahead of Toledo star Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, who also was viewed as a potential first-round pick going into Thursday night.
Stukes turns 25 in September, so there is some concern there, but his tape and film shows why he is a starting safety from Day 1 in the NFL.
The Raiders had Washington WR Denzel Boston on the board, and he went right after at No. 39 to the Cleveland Browns, but addressing the safety position was a big priority, and Stukes will instantly be viewed as a potential starter for Las Vegas.
Stukes is a versatile piece as he can play nickel and safety, so that should allow him to be on the field a lot, even as a rookie.
The Raiders entered the draft with plenty of needs, and there were several directions they could've gone in, but Stukes was one of the top players on the board.
And, they move up 20 spots later in the draft by moving down with the Texans, so it's a savvy chess play by John Spytek and company to work the board a bit and still land a premier player.
So far, so good for Las Vegas as the Raiders continue to draft well in 2026, and they will be back for Round 3.