The Las Vegas Raiders are unlikely to pursue tight ends or fullbacks until late in the 2026 Draft, focusing instead on their current roster. Key players include Pro Bowler Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer, with the potential for a late-round addition.
Key points
Raiders unlikely to draft tight ends or fullbacks early
Brock Bowers returns as a key player
Michael Mayer projected as second tight end
Connor Heyward signed as fullback
Potential for late-round tight end addition
Las Vegas RaidersBrock BowersMichael MayerIan Thomas
Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) celebrates with tight end Riley Nowakowski (37) in the second half of the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
The Las Vegas Raiders likely won’t be looking for a tight end or fullback till late in day three, or the undrafted space, given the work they have done so far. At tight end, the team will return two-time Pro Bowler, and All-Pro Brock Bowers for his third season, along with former 2nd rounder Michael Mayer. Mayer projects as the team’s true second tight end, and Las Vegas under Klint Kubiak will look to run a ton of 12 and 13 personnel giving him time to see the field routinely. In addition, the Raiders will return Ian Thomas who re-signed on a 1 year deal, 2025 UDFA signing Carter Runyon (who saw roughly 80 snaps in 2025), and Albert Okwuegbunam Jr.
The Raiders could look to add a day three tight end, and he’d have good competition, but with Mayer potentially on his last season it may be a smart investment for the team to have someone behind Bowers, who operates as a move tight end. At fullback, the Raiders signed former Steelers tight end & fullback Connor Heyward, to a two year contract, and while he’s likely locked in, it’s not hard to see competition brought in as well.
Nowakowski is undersized as a true tight end, but he’s an elite blocker. He’s versatile, can line up at fullback, inline, and also as a move tightend. He shows exceptional blocking form, utilizes his full frame, and pairs a very strong upper and lower body to drive through defenders. Nowakowski works well in space, has extremely fluid hips, and he can find his way to the second level immediately. As a receiver, he shows fluid hands, an ability to go out of his frame to make a few contested catches, but he won’t be a full time receiver at tight end. He’s not a true contested catch specialist, and as a receiver there’s a lot to be desired with average route running, limited strength at the point of attack, and he won’t run by anyone either. Nowakowski should hear his name called in the early parts of day three, and he’d make sense to compete for the Raiders fullback/tight end role.
Q&A
Who are the key tight ends for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2026?
The key tight ends for the Raiders in 2026 are Brock Bowers, Michael Mayer, Ian Thomas, Carter Runyon, and Albert Okwuegbunam Jr.
What is the Raiders' strategy for tight ends in the 2026 Draft?
The Raiders are expected to focus on tight ends late in the draft or in the undrafted market, given their current roster strength.
How does Brock Bowers fit into the Raiders' offensive scheme?
Brock Bowers is expected to play a significant role as a move tight end in the Raiders' offense, particularly under offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
Who did the Raiders sign as a fullback for the 2026 season?
The Raiders signed Connor Heyward, a former Steelers tight end and fullback, to a two-year contract for the 2026 season.
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Max Bredeson, Michigan**(Consensus: Late 7th to UDFA)**
HT: 6’1 | WT: 252 | Games: 54
Career: 12 rec, 132 yards | 2 ST tackles, 4.2 YPC Lead Block
Testing: N/A
Bredeson is a traditional fullback, he has an aggressive physical mindset, and he’ll come through a hole quickly to knock a defender out. He shows good fluid legwork, fluid hips, and utilizes his full mass and strength into the block. Bredeson can anchor well as a run blocker to not get thrown into the lane, he has smooth hips which allow him to work in space, and he also shows a few involvements of having YAC threat despite not being a receiver threat. Additionally, he does work well on special teams as a blocker on punts, and showed some good kickoff traits. Bredeson is limited, he’s a poor route runner, average receiver around, and that has limited him to short yardage situations. Bredeson is a solid fullback, the best true fullback in the class, and should carve an NFL role.
Large transferred to Iowa from Dordt, he’s an older prospect, but he’s got a future in the NFL. Large is a good athlete, he’s an exceptional blocker, and he’s shown some true receiving ability as well. He has fluid hips, quick feet, and elite lower body strength that allows him to anchor and pivot at the POA. Large has an ability to go out of his frame, worked well at the point of attack, and he’s shown adequate speed for the position. Large has TE/FB flexibility, and he’s a true blocker, with elite foot speed, hip flexibility, and technique that allows him to dominant at the LOS. Large could very well end up carving an NFL career off his blocking alone at both FB and TE.
Other Names:
Jackson Acker, Wisconsin
Seth Adams, San Diego State -> Converted DE to FB
Truman Werremeyer, North Dakota State -> Versatile, shows some receiving set, ran a 4.52 40, good blocker. Should be a sought after UDFA TE/FB Hybrid
Tre Williams III, North Texas -> Transferred to UNT in 2025 with 29/371/5, has 2000 career yards in his career between West Georgia and Limestone. Good athlete, learning to block better
Early Round *Tight End* Targets (Round 1-4)
Kenyon Saidq, Oregon (Consensus: Round 1)
Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt (Consensus: Late Round 2)
Max Klare, Ohio State (Consensus: Early Round 3)
Michael Trigg, Baylor (Consensus: Mid Round 3)
Justin Joly, NC State (Consensus: Early Round 4)
Sam Roush, Stanford (Consensus: Early Round 4)
Jack Endries, Texas (Consensus: Mid Round 4)
Eli Raridon, Notre Dame (Consensus: Mid to Late Round 4)
Oscar Delp, Georgia (Consensus: Late Round 4)
Josh Cuevas, Alabama (Consensus: Late Round 4)
Joe Royer, Cincinnati (Consensus: Late Round 4 to Early Round 5)
Klein is rising up boards quickly, he’s a true athlete and has paired that with a solid blend of technique and strength. He shows a quick initial burst off the LOS, has a strong second burst, and he explodes out of cuts exceptionally smoothly. Klein shows an ability to sink his hips, drive back on the ball, and he’s learning to run routes better, but you want to get the ball in his hands where he shows good open field ability as a runner. Klein plays with a great base, quick feet, and exceptional strength in his upper/lower body that allows him to block the level he does. He’s a blocking first tight end, though the receiving upside is natural Klein has strength at the point of attack, is able to go out of his frame, but he also needs to do better in contested catch situations boxing out defenders at his size (large part of the poor rate is poor QB Play). Additionally, he’s going to need to improve the focus drops, where he looks to run, and also do better with hand combat in blocking, while getting to the second level faster.
I'm going to be much higher than consensus on Michigan TE Marlin Klein. He plays the game like George Kittle. I think he genuinely loves to block and take hits like this on seam benders. It looks like he's having a blast out there pic.twitter.com/NvrnocvIM7
Bentley shows a lot of promise at tight end, but he’s relatively inexperienced and also has a good bit to work on as well. Bentley is built well, has a thick frame, and he shows great strength as well. He didn’t see a ton of production till his final season, largely due to Utah’s heavy tight end production, but Bentley flashed NFL traits. He’s exceptionally fluid, has great lower half mechanics, and for his limited experience shows good route running ability, with an innate ability to explode out of the cut. He’ll need to do better at rounding his concepts, but he shows a good ability to adjust to the ball in air, track over his shoulder, and he does a great job working out of frame across the middle. He’s poor at contested catches, which he’ll need to adjust to getting his body in front of the defender, and simply tracking the ball better as well through contact. Bentley wins as a blocker, he’s strong, physical, and drives defenders back. He shows an ability to land his punches, gets to the second level quickly, and in pass protection he’s fluid, with an innate anchor which also helps him anchor, drive, and push. Bentley has the traits to be a solid third or second tight end in the NFL.
I really like Boekircher, but there’s some limitations as well. He has good natural size and versatility where Texas A&M lined him up inline, at fullacbk, in the slot, or even at a true X. He’s a good physical athlete, with a quick initial burst off the line of scrimmage, though he’s lacking the top end speed that’s necessary at the next level. He works well through contact, is physical, and he shows that at the catch point with an exceptional ability to box out defenders, adjust to the ball in the air, and he won’t by shy about being physical in a rep which can cause some OPI issues as well but draws defensive penalties. Boekircher has a thick lower half, anchors well, and he drives his hips through the defender, but he does struggle in footwork where he can trip himself, and he’ll need to do better at utilizing his core to prevent leaning. Boekircher shows the traits to be a quality depth tight end, he’ll need to utilize more true blocking technique, and it could be an uphill battle, but he should be a functional tight end as a receiver who can consistently fight for the ball in tight yardage situations with a knack for some work after the catch initially.
Nate Boerkircher | TE | TAMU
Y or F TE w/ smooth movement in/out of breaks despite minimal production. Flashes good body control adjusting to passes in traffic. Physical RAC/finisher.
Rolls hips into contact then looks to extend. STRAINS to finish + good framing in space. pic.twitter.com/8jKNi8qCB7
Kacmarek transferred to Ohio State in 2024 after back to back 260 yard seasons at Ohio, and he had a strong two seasons with the Buckeyes. He’s a functional blocker, and likely the main reason he was brought in despite some clear athletic and receiving deficiencies. Kacmarek shows great functional strength as a blocker, a natural massive frame and good length that allows him to work to the outside EDGE, seal the corner, and also drive defenders through the ground. He’s aggressive, physical, and shows incredible strength in his lower half to pair with good footwork and technique in the lower half. Kacmarek is slow off the LOS, struggles in his initial burst as a receiver, and he’s an average mover in space which limits how effective he his pulling to the second level. He’s a little uncoordinated, needs to do better lunging wher he’s noticeably missed at times. Kacmarek is a below average route runner, struggles to explode out of the cut, and he’s very average in his entire reception repertoire, where he can get pushed around, washed out, and isn’t open often unless schemed open. He’s a functional blocking TE in the NFL, and he’ll make an NFL roster off the abilities to come in on 12 and 13 personnel for wide running concepts.
Will Kacmarek is a total people mover in the run game
These dirty work guys will get a lot more snaps than some of the flashier receiving TEs I see hyped up on the timeline pic.twitter.com/HzT5JwOn67
Wright is undersized for the position, but he’s a fun prospect, who likely will take a slot receiver, move TE approach in the NFL. He’s a very limited blocker, who doesn’t show a ton of effort towards the block, and he seems disinterested at times. His footwork is poor, he’s not great off the line of scrimmage, and Wright can get pushed around by bigger defensive ends, or struggles to crash down and move defenders with a lack of lower body power. As a receiver, he’s shown good YAC skills, which could be a calling card in the NFL, with an ability to make defenders miss, turn the corner well, and overall he works best when the ball is in his hands. Wright has a slow release package, he rounds the top of his routes, and he is very weak at the contested catch point, with extremely limited strength causing him to also get boxed out in the route by physical linebackers, safeties, and slots. Wright does have good vertical speed, and his initial explosion out of a cut is also noticeable, with his ability to get open off athleticism not route running. He’s a gadget receiver TE, but he’ll lack the blocking abilities to go far in the NFL.
Koziol transferred to Houston after a 2024 season at Ball State where he logged 94 rec, 839 yards, and 8 TD, in his final season at Houston he posted a Big12 leading 74 receptions, 727 yards, and six touchdowns. Koziol has a massive NFL caliber frame, great length, and simply just will out power or out size defenders, something rare at the tight end position to have both. He shows good hips, fluid knees, and his lower half in general works well with his upper half, but he shows heavy feet which can cause him to be an average runner at times after initial burst. Koziol is a natural target, he’s good in contested situations, understands how to work his size and physical profile, while also adjusting to the ball exceptionally well in the air. He has massive soft hands, consistently is able to pluck the ball out of the air, and all around just screams a consistent receiving threat at tight end. He needs to get better as a blocker, where he wins off size and physicality, and the biggest part will be activating his legs, driving through defenders, but he has limitations with the heavy feet and lack of ability to work quickly to the second level, but has shown pulling ability. Koziol doesn’t have much as a YAC receiver, he’s athletic in short areas, but lacks the open field ability, and he’s also limited with a very small route tree, and overall just average route running abilities. He’s a functional tight end, can be productive, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Koziol develops into an NFL starter down the line.
Tanner Koziol has ridiculous production for a "TE" prospect
Hibner is likely near, or at, the ceiling of his game which limits him. He has great length, wide hands, and despite an average frame is much bigger on film as well. Hibner is built well, has good strength, and he shows ELITE athletic traits for the position. Hibner fires off the line of scrimmage in blocking, and route running, with a strong initial burst out of cuts as well. He shows good hips, fluid lower body mechanics, and he can win as a route runner as well, though he’s lacked a true route tree. Hibner can be a true threat after the catch with strong initial quickness and burst, and he plays pretty twitchy as well allowing him to make defenders miss. He shows good technique as a blocker, has quick feet, drives through the defender, and his hips consistently are working. I’d like to see Hibner become a better route runner, where he knows he can win athletically, and has lazy technique. Additionally, he plays tall in blocking, lacks core strength, and he’s not shown a great job in the contested catch market going out of his frame as often as he should.
For what it’s worth, I think Gyllenborg is a late 5th rounder, as shown above he’s an exceptional athlete and it shows in his film. Gyllenborg has a great frame, great natural length, and he plays extremely physical, with a nasty streak in both the run and pass game. He has a thick, strong lower half, extremely physical base, and he drives his hips through the defender. He’ll need to get better as a blocker with cleaning the footwork, where he can cross his feet, and he also doesn’t really drive his hips through the defender as often as he should. Gyllenborg is a phenomenal YAC threat, he converts to a runner naturally, has good initial burst and quickness, his route running is improving year by year, and he shows an ability to cut out of routes but will round them at times. Gyllenborg has a good second gear, explodes off the LOS, and he also shows a good ability to fire into his next step out of cuts. He’ll need to improve how quickly he gets to the second level as a blocker, but Gyllenborg can truly make an NFL impact as a receiver with his pure athleticism and ability with the ball in his hands.
Wyoming TE John Michael Gyllenborg (@jmikegyllenborg) is one of my early favorites for the 2026 NFL Draft.
He effortlessly attacks the second and third levels, and his ability to transition from pass-catcher to playmaker in the open field looks so natural.#RideForTheBrand… pic.twitter.com/I36p8XOCUc
McRee’s first noticeable mark is his injury histroy, which could push him to be a UDFA. He suffered a torn ACL in high school, another torn ACL in 2023, an ACL sprain in 2024, and his knee caused him to miss time in 2025 camp. Despite the injuries, McRee’s lower body is extremely fluid, functional, and shows a lot of potential to be one of the better true receivers in the NFL at the position. He’s a very fluid runner, has flexible hips, and surprisingly flexible & nimble knees. He’s a great route runner, shows more than physical ability, and while he’s lacking long speed, McRee can win off initial burst and explosion out of the cut. McRee plucks the ball out of the air, and he doesn’t really find a way to drop the ball, he’s consistent at the point of attack, and as a receiver in general just does a lot of functional NFL ready tasks. He’ll need to improve as a blocker, where he’s likely going to be limited due to poor leg drive, footwork, and a very lacking aggressive tendency. He’s not the most explosive off the line of scrimmage, and the lack of long speed shows in his YAC as well.
Ryan is also a 5th rounder for me, and he’s not discussed enough. Ryan is a physical, electric blocker, and he should make an immediate NFL impact as a blocker. Ryan has a strong lower half, exceptional core strength, and he also shows fluid natural hips to pair with above average foot speed. Ryan is able to drive defenders downfield, he uses his full body in the block, and he has a nasty streak that he will use to end the play instantly. Ryan shows an explosive first step off the LOS into the block, has good length and can engage his core well to knock the defender. He’s a fluid receiver, has above average route running, and while his route tree is limited, he’s shown good nuances including head fakes, arm fakes, and deceptions to move the defender. He’ll need to limit how often he rounds his route, but when he does initially cut he’s explosive and can get into the next step quickly. Ryan lacks long speed, but he’s shown good twitch, initial movement, and acceleration that allows him to be a pure runner with the ball in his hands. BYU moved him across the board, he’s played fullback, inline, big slot, and Y which will add his value. Ryan has to work on a few factors, but he will make an NFL impact immediately, and arguably should be consider a lot higher of a prospect than he is now.
BYU TE Carsen Ryan (@CarsenRyan) transferred in from Utah and went on to have the best season of his college career.
The Orem, Utah native earned Honorable Mention All-Big 12 honors after hauling in 45 receptions for 620 yards and 3 TDs, emerging as one of Bear Bachmeier’s… pic.twitter.com/1wZ61flj9Q
Jones transferred to Arkansas from Montana State in 2024, and he was previously at Maine in 2023, where he’s hauled in back to back seasons of 25+ receptions, and 500+ yards including a 26.7 average in 2025, which lead all division one TE. Jones is getting CFL attention, and is ranked as the 9th prospect in the class, despite his pretty poor RAS score, he’s a true athlete. Jones moves well, has a good first step off the LOS, explosive out of his cuts, and he’s shown some fluid lower body athletic ability. He needs to refine his overall route running, and he rounds his concepts too often. Additionally, Jones lacks true size, likely needs to move to a more fullback/big slot role, but he’s shown an ability to get open, works well after the catch with exceptional open field agility, and his blocking has developed step by step, but it won’t be his calling card. He’s a wildcard, and easily could land in the CFL, but Jones is a good football player who needs development, a perfect UDFA.
Kanak converted to TE in 2025 from LB where he’s had a career 104 tackles, 7 TFL, 2 sacks, 2 PBU, 2 TD, and 2 FF. Kanak likely is a fullback at the NFL level, but he’s going to make an NFL career. He shows good juice, twitch, and burst, with linebacker like movement at the position. He lacks true length, and he also lacks the mass that’s necessary for TE in the NFL, where he’ll need more upper and lower body strength. Additionally, Kanak shows good initial release off the LOS, and he was moved around a bit by Oklahoma working more out of the slot and H-Back than a true inline role. He’s physical, will fight through contact, and despite his extreme lack of experience, he does show decent route running. Kanak is raw in pretty much every other phase, he’s not good working off the LOS as a TE in blocking, where he’s slow and doesn’t really understand how to fire off the LOS. Additionally, his route running needs nuance, better cuts, and he doesn’t really sink his hips or drive back on the ball often. Kanak relied heavily on the YAC, short concepts, and ability to get a running start into his routes or blocking, making fullback a viable and likely NFL role. Kanak is a pretty intriguing TE, he’s got just one year of work, but he’s going to make an impact on special teams in the NFL regardless.
Velling on film, doesn’t look at all like a 4.85 40 & 2.4 RAS athlete. He has natural athletic hips, comes off the LOS quickly, and he shows a good ability to sink and drive on the ball. Additionally, he wins heavily off nuanced route running, with pure head fakes, body movements, and he sinks and cuts well. Velling is a capable YAC receiver, with an ability to turn and run, and shows good initial burst and movement skills though the long speed does lack at times as well. He’s good in space, is able to seal the block to the boundary, and does get to the second level fairly quickly. Velling flashes workable traits, he’ll need to limit his pad height, clean up footwork, and also add to his lower body power, but the Michigan State product does showcase NFL ability as a depth TE who can function with the ball in his hands.
Dan Villari, Syracuse -> 66/671/3 with another 93 rushes, 445 yards, 4 TD. Works well in short area’s, fluid quick hips, is able to turn and run quickly. Sharp route runner, struggles to block, lacks long speed.
Evan Svoboda, Wyoming
Eni Falayi, Wake Forest -> Really good athlete, but that’s about it. Average hands, not overly physical, average blocker. Don’t see a huge ceiling.
Tanner Arkin, Illinois
DJ Rogers, TCU
Lance Mason, Wiconsins -> Capable blocker, stiff hips, but does well as a receiver. Likely R7, UDFA and could compete for a bottom of roster spot.
Matt Lauter, Boise State -> 97/1146/12 including 619 yards & 8 TD in 2024. Posted a 4.66 50, elite 3-Cone, works well in short area’s, solid blocker, shows good route running, above average burst. 6’3/240 undersized, could move to FB. Intriguing UDFA
Seydou Traore, Mississippi State -> Athletic monster, hauled in career 131 rec, 1482 yards, and 10 TD including 655 yards, 5 TD, and 50 receptions in 2022. Posted a 40 Vert, 10’08 Broad, elite shuttle times, 4.55 40. Is a little undersized, but shows a ton of athletic upside to become a depth tight end, should be a highly sought after UDFA.
RJ Maryland, SMU -> Solid size, quickness, lacks blocking, doesn’t show a ton of strength.
Miles Kitselman, Tennessee -> Blocking specialist, average athlete, shows a lot of strength in his lower half, true power threat, can knock defenders on their ass. Good hip flexibility, lacks route running premise.
