B-
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders left with their quarterback, and a B- to match.
by Grumzy ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 5 steals
· 4 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.
Whatever else happened, they won the night they took Branch. The cost of the Nowakowski reach is exactly the players who went right after him. For all the activity, edge rusher went untouched, which is hard to explain.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but edge rusher.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 1st overall pick they get the arm they will build around at fair value.
Dillon Thieneman slid further than he should have, and slot 36 is lovely value for the safety. It adds depth where they could use a little.
A top-tier interior defensive lineman at a bargain, Lee Hunter in pick No. 67, plain and simple. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Circle this one: Zachariah Branch at pick 102 is a fall that decides a draft. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Somehow Skyler Bell was still sitting there in the 117th pick, and they pounced on premier wide receiver value. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Will Lee III in Round 4, Pick 34 is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, VJ Payne well ahead of where he belonged. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.
Value said wait; Riley Nowakowski in the Round 6 slot says they were not listening. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
They reached a country mile for Kaelon Black at the 208th pick, and the board is aghast. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Eli Heidenreich at Round 7, Pick 3 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.