The Las Vegas Raiders completely revamped their linebacker position in NFL free agency. General manager John Spytek signed both Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker to lucrative contracts. Before free agency opened, the Raiders may have been targeting the 2026 NFL draft to upgrade the position.
That’s the indication from a recent report. Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday is among the best prospects at the position in the 2026 NFL draft. Golday recently confirmed he had a formal interview with the Raiders at the NFL Scouting Combine.
“I had a bunch of formals at the NFL Combine,” Golday recently said during an interview with NFL Draft On SI. “I believe I had about 15 or 16 in two days. I met with the Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, Carolina Panthers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, Green Bay Packers, and a bunch of others.”
It’s worth noting the NFL Combine happens before free agency. It’s plausible to believe Spytek was covering his bases in case he didn’t land his desired targets in free agency. It would be somewhat surprising if the Raiders drafted Golday (or any high-ranking linebacker) after signing both Dean and Walker.
Golday previously played EDGE rusher at Central Arkansas. He entered the portal and continued a transition to linebacker at Cincinnati. Golday thrived at his new position in 2025, registering a career-high 104 tackles. The Raiders were showing interest in his services, but things have probably changed since then.
