B-
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders bet the future on Mendoza. The board says B-.
by Grumzy ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 4 steals
· 4 reaches
They will call it conviction in the building and a reach everywhere else: Roman Hemby, 168 picks early at slot 185. No fireworks, but a solid B-.
Fernando Mendoza is the bet, and the class will be judged on how it pays off. They punted on edge rusher, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. Spending an early pick on safety with edge rusher and offensive lineman open is the decision the grade keeps circling back to.
The Wheatley value carries more weight than any single miss elsewhere.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but edge rusher.
Pick-by-Pick
In the Round 1 slot they get the arm they will build around. A clean fit for the roster.
No drama and no debate, Omar Cooper Jr. went about where he belonged in No. 36. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Nice patience on Christen Miller, who had no business lasting to the 67th overall pick. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Good things come to war rooms that wait, and Zakee Wheatley at Round 4, Pick 2 is the proof. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
They bypassed pressing needs at edge rusher and offensive lineman to take Bud Clark, a safety that was not the priority.
They let Will Lee III come to them and pounced at pick 134. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
They reached a country mile for Riley Nowakowski at the 175th pick, and the board is aghast. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Roman Hemby this early at pick No. 185. A need, and now a little less of one.
Kaelon Black at Round 6, Pick 27 is a clear overpay, with better names still on the board. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Aiden Fisher at the Round 7 slot jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.