The Las Vegas Raiders got a rare bit of good news in Week 18 when they secured the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Not only that, but the team was able to beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the season finale.
It has been a miserable year for the Raiders, but it is ending on a very high note. Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty had a lot of hype coming into this season, but didn’t have the year many expected.
Jeanty knows how valuable that No. 1 pick is. He had a clear message for the Raiders’ front office: don’t screw up the pick.
“That type of pick can change an organization. Just praying we make the right pick,” Jeanty told reporters after the game.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the favorite to be the first player selected. Jeanty was pressed about him, but decided not to comment. Though things didn’t go as planned this season, it was a great learning experience for the running back.
“I feel like I learned a lot about myself in the face of adversity,” Jeanty said. “To come here and be pretty bad, big switch, but being able to handle it. Just continue to be great.”
Tyree Wilson Had Big Finale
One former first-round pick who hasn’t come close to living up to his draft status is defensive end Tyree Wilson. With Maxx Crosby out, he had a chance to start in Week 18 and had his best game as a pro.
He had 2.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and a safety. It felt really good for Wilson to have a big game to end the year.
“Just to end the season with a win against a AFC West opponent is a great feeling,” Wilson said, via Raiders.com. “Seeing young guys like Tonka, coming out with a two sack game, Charles Snowden, two sack game, it’s a great feeling.”
That said, Wilson didn’t think it was a statement game.
“It didn’t prove anything,” he added. “I know what kind of guys we got in the locker room, what kind of guys we got in our [defensive line] room. It’s just about displaying it to the world.”
Pete Carroll Very Happy With Win
It’s possible that head coach Pete Carroll coached his last game in the NFL against the Chiefs. It’s fortunate for him that it ended with a win.
He was elated by the fact that the Raiders finally broke their winning streak against a hated rival.
“There’s nothing better than winning on the last play of the game where [there’s] all but a couple seconds left,” Carroll said postgame, “but it’s a great finish for our guys. You can imagine, I hope, how they feel now that they did something special like that.”
“We can’t not talk about the kicker. What a great day, man,” Carroll added. “And the kickoff too. He had just a freakin’ great day. To hit 60 yards and with plenty of room to spare, is what I was told, it was pretty cool.”
If this is his last game, at least he was able to end his career on a win.
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