The Las Vegas Raiders would hit the jackpot with this selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Saturday Blitz's Nicholas Rome on Tuesday released his post-Senior Bowl mock draft, which was also the first mock draft on Saturday Blitz that included the second round. In his latest mock, Rome projected the Raiders to select Oklahoma defensive end R Mason Thomas with the 36th overall pick early in the second round.
Thomas would not only be an instant hit for the Raiders, but Vegas could be a better destination than any of the 32 NFL franchises for Thomas as he would join forces with elite edge rusher Maxx Crosby.
Mock draft projects R Mason Thomas to join Maxx Crosby with Raiders in 2026 NFL Draft
"While Maxx Crosby is dominant, the Raiders could use another star pass rusher opposite him, as former top pick Tyree Wilson hasn't lived up to where he was picked," Rome wrote. "At Oklahoma, R Mason Thomas was one of the most feared pass rushers in the country, and he could give this team an elite rotation off the edge."
Crosby, a fourth-round steal in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Eastern Michigan, was just named to his fifth Pro Bowl in a row. He's also been Second-Team All-Pro twice in 2021 and 2023 as one of the best edge rushers in the NFL right now.
Not only would this potential partnership between Crosby and Thomas eventually create one of the best pass rush in the NFL, but it would also be extremely beneficial for Thomas, who would get to learn and develop alongside one of the greats.
Thomas was one of the best pass rushers in the SEC the past two seasons. Even with missing three games down the stretch because of an injury, Thomas was still second on his team with 6.5 sacks this season. He also tallied nine sacks in 2024 while playing in every game. He was First-Team All-SEC in 2025 after getting Second-Team the year before.
That production and experience, especially in the SEC, has Thomas as a fringe first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23-25. But even though this scenario has Thomas not getting his name called Day 1, it could still be the best situation for the immediate and future of Thomas' NFL career.