B-
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders found their guy under center in Mendoza: B-.
by Kenny proctor ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 3 steals
· 3 reaches
Start where it matters. The Raiders took Fernando Mendoza to run the offense for the next decade, and every other decision this weekend bends around that one.
The Hurst pick alone nudges the whole weekend up a notch. Every board in the league had Spears-Jennings lower, and that gap is the story. Leaving edge rusher unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall.
Good work on the whole, with edge rusher the one box left unchecked.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick No. 1 they get a franchise quarterback. A clean fit for the roster.
A reach for Blake Miller in the Round 2 slot; a little patience would have been rewarded. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Jacob Rodriguez at the 67th pick. A minor need, but a need all the same.
They took Chandler Rivers at par in Round 4, Pick 2, which is nothing to complain about. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Taking Ted Hurst in No. 117 is close to grand larceny; a wide receiver that good had no business lasting this long. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
A tidy bit of business in pick 134, where Justin Joly graded well above the range. It fills a real need, too.
They paid a round early for Zane Durant in slot 175, more than the board wanted. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Fair-plus on Anez Cooper, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Le'Veon Moss at the 208th pick is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Robert Spears-Jennings in Round 7, Pick 3 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.