After trading back twice in the second round Friday, the Las Vegas Raiders addressed their need at wide receiver by selecting TCU's Jack Bech with the No. 58 pick of the NFL draft.
The Raiders used their pick, which they received from the Houston Texans, to add Bech. Las Vegas also received the 99th pick for the 48th pick, which Houston used to take Minnesota offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery.
Bech said his heart dropped when the Raiders called. For Bech, the past few months have been challenging after his brother, Tiger, was killed Jan. 1 in the terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.
Tiger was a receiver and kick returner at Princeton from 2017 to 2019. During a video conference call with reporters, Bech said losing his brother has been the hardest thing he has dealt with.
"I don't have any words to describe this feeling," Bech said. "Making the NFL was not only my dream but my brother's dream, and tonight, our dream came true."
Bech spent two seasons at LSU before transferring to TCU. After Bech was limited to eight games in 2023 because of injury, he had a breakout year in 2024. He became the fifth player in TCU history to record a 1,000-yard receiving season. His 1,034 yards are the fourth most at TCU in a season, trailing only former first-round picks Josh Doctson (1,327 in 2015), Quentin Johnston (1,069 in 2022) and Jalen Reagor (1,061 in 2018).
Bech, a 2024 second-team All-Big 12 selection and Biletnikoff Award semifinalist, was named 2025 Senior Bowl MVP after catching the game-winning TD. He wore No. 7 in that game to honor his brother.
The Raiders used two of their five picks inside the top 100 to fill holes on offense. After Las Vegas drafted running back Ashton Jeanty in the first round, the organization added Bech to a thin group of wide receivers. Outside of Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker, there's a major drop in production at the position. Kyle Philips, the third wide receiver listed on the depth chart, last played in 2023.
Bech can play inside and out while making catches in traffic. His 17 contested catches were tied for second in the Big 12 last season.
"I can go and create mismatches," he said. "I love working the middle of the field and on an island, beating [a defensive back] one-on-one."