The Las Vegas Raiders got hit with a huge blow this offseason when they decided they needed to cut star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. He was easily their best interior defensive lineman, and he was under contract for two more seasons after this one.
The Raiders didn’t cut him until later in the offseason, so it was difficult to find a proper replacement. This offseason, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the team went hard after a potential star defensive tackle.
There have been some really good defensive tackles coming into the NFL in recent years, and there could be another one in the 2026 NFL Draft class. In Josh Edwards’ latest mock draft for CBS Sports, he projects the Raiders to select Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods with the No. 4 pick.
“Las Vegas’ moves and roster construction made little sense to me in the long term,” Edwards wrote. “The Raiders traded for an older quarterback and drafted a running back No. 4 overall. Those are short-term positives on a roster with big needs across the board. The Raiders have not gotten positive results in the short-term so that really dampens the long-term outlook. Christian Wilkins was supposed to be a big part of this defense and obviously that did not work out. Peter Woods comes in to take some of the pressure off Maxx Crosby.”
Some would argue that selecting a quarterback is a bigger priority, but if Geno Smith can turn things around, defensive tackle would be a smart position to target for Las Vegas.
Scouting Report on Woods
The biggest knock on Woods is that he’s not much of a pass rusher on the interior. He is an elite run defender, but only has 3.5 sacks in his college career. Despite that, Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder thinks he’s the best defensive tackle in the 2026 class.
“Peter Woods is a great run defender, the top defensive tackle and a top five overall prospect in the 2026 NFL draft class,” Holder wrote. “He’s 6’3”, 310-pound prospect and went to Clemson as a 4-star recruit in the 2023 class, per 247Sports.
“Woods was an immediate impact player for the Tigers, earning Freshman All-American honors by several outlets, while recording 26 total tackles, including three tackles for loss. He was an All-ACC Honorable Mention selection as a sophomore in 2024 after logging 28 total tackles, nine TFLs and three sacks.”
Jonah Laulu Having Breakout Season
One player who has made the Wilkins’ absence less noticeable is Jonah Laulu. The second-year pro and Las Vegas native joined the Raiders last season after flaming out with the Indianapolis Colts.
He was turning heads for the team in the offseason, and it appears that wasn’t fool’s gold. He is tied with Maxx Crosby for the team lead in sacks at 4.0. That’s an impressive number considering they’re coming from the interior.
It remains to be seen if Laulu can be an every-down defensive tackle for the Raiders going forward, but he’s proving that he’s at least earned a lot of snaps. Laulu has a very bright future.
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