B-
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders found their guy under center in Mendoza: B-.
by skaarman ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 3 steals
· 3 reaches
They finally answered the question that shadows every other one. Fernando Mendoza is the Raiders' quarterback, full stop.
Leaving edge rusher unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall. The Hunter value carries more weight than any single miss elsewhere.
Every board in the league had Black lower, and that gap is the story.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the edge rusher spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 1 they get a long-term answer under center. A clean fit for the roster.
Dillon Thieneman at the Round 2 slot is money in the bank, a safety taken below his worth. A minor itch, scratched.
They barely believed it either: Lee Hunter still on the board at the 67th overall pick. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Ja'Kobi Lane at pick 102 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Malik Muhammad in pick No. 117 is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Dametrious Crownover at the 134th pick jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
A market-rate linebacker, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Kaleb Elarms-Orr. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
A reasonable price with a little left over, Febechi Nwaiwu in No. 185. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
They reached a country mile for Kaelon Black at Round 6, Pick 27, and the board is aghast. A need, and now a little less of one.
They jumped the gun on Zavion Thomas, taking him earlier than his grade liked. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.