C+
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders found their guy under center in Mendoza: C+.
by ggtr4t4747373 ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 0 steals
· 8 reaches
The tape said wait; the Raiders did not. Marvin Jones Jr. went at the Round 3 slot, a good 270 picks before the board was ready. For now it grades a C+, with the swing picks left to settle the rest.
Fernando Mendoza is the bet, and the class will be judged on how it pays off. The Heinecke pick is fine in a vacuum, less so with wide receiver, running back and other spots still on the board.
For all the activity, wide receiver went untouched, which is hard to explain.
If Fernando Mendoza and a couple of the gambles land, hindsight will be kinder than this grade.
Pick-by-Pick
A market-rate quarterback, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Fernando Mendoza. The roster fit checks out.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Malik Muhammad well ahead of where he belonged. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Marvin Jones Jr.. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Value said wait; Justin Jefferson in pick 102 says they were not listening. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Jaeden Roberts in pick No. 117, miles early. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Of all the spots to shop, they chose linebacker. Owen Heinecke in Round 4, Pick 34 leaves wide receiver, running back and other spots for later.
They took Febechi Nwaiwu at par in the 175th pick, which is nothing to complain about. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
They reached into another round for Roderick Kearney, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
A real head-scratcher, Micah Morris in the 208th overall pick is miles ahead of his ranking. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Diego Pavia at slot 219 is a clear overpay, with better names still on the board. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.