Keyron Crawford Is Signed, But the Raiders' Top Draft Pick STILL Isn't and Nobody's Talking About It

Alright 12s, gather 'round. While we're out here prepping for another epic season at Lumen Field, dreaming of Sam Darnold slinging it deep to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, sometimes you gotta peek at what our "friends" down in Vegas are up to. Turns out, the Raiders just locked down their third-round defensive end, Keyron Crawford, with a four-year rookie deal. Big news for them, right? Except there's a kicker, a HUGE kicker, that kinda makes you wonder what's really going on in the desert.

A Solid Defender Heads to Vegas, But Where's the Buzz?

So, this Crawford kid. Third round, 67th overall back in the 2026 draft. He bounced from Arkansas State to Auburn and honestly, his 2025 season at Auburn sounds pretty darn good. The dude started all 12 games, which shows consistency, and he racked up 36 tackles, a hefty 9.5 tackles for loss, and an impressive 5.0 sacks. Plus, he even forced a fumble, recovered another, and snagged an interception. That's a full stat sheet for a defensive end, and it definitely shows potential for a third-rounder. He's signed up for four years, which means the Silver and Black have one more piece of their defensive puzzle locked in for the long haul. Good for them, getting a guy under contract who looks like he could be a real disruptive force.

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The Raiders Have Two Draft Picks Still Out, Including Their Number ONE Overall!

But here's where it gets wild. While they're announcing Crawford's signing, the Raiders still have two other draft picks NOT under contract. And we're not talking about some late-round flyer. We're talking about Fernando Mendoza, their first overall pick in the entire 2026 draft! The number one guy isn't signed. And it's not just him; fourth-round cornerback Jermod McCoy is also still out there. So, they've managed to get eight of their ten draft picks locked down, which sounds decent. But the fact that their absolute top guy, the biggest name from their entire draft class, the first overall pick, isn't on board yet? That's just wild. What's the hold-up? You'd think the biggest name would be the first one in the building, ready to get to work, not the last one in limbo.

So, as we watch Cal Raleigh launch dingers at T-Mobile Park and the Kraken's Matty Beniers tear up the ice at Climate Pledge Arena, it's a stark reminder that even rivals have their own drama unfolding. The Raiders got Crawford, sure, and that's a solid pickup. But the real story here isn't about that third-rounder. It's about when, or if, their number one overall pick, Fernando Mendoza, will actually put pen to paper. That's a situation worth keeping an eye on, folks, because a team without its top draft pick on board is just begging for trouble. Go Hawks!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.