B-
Las Vegas Raiders
Quarterback settled, Mendoza in the fold, and a B- for the Raiders.
by skaarman ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 7 picks
· 2 steals
· 1 reaches
The search is over. The Raiders handed the keys to Fernando Mendoza, and the whole operation now runs on his development. A dependable weekend that grades out a B-.
They will regret leaving edge rusher for another day if the season turns on it. If one pick saves this weekend, it is Lance. Every board in the league had Prysock lower, and that gap is the story.
Bottom line, more hits than misses and a roster nudged the right way.
Pick-by-Pick
In slot 1 they get a passer to set the clock by. A clean fit for the roster.
By-the-book stuff, Dillon Thieneman at Round 2, Pick 4 squarely in line with his ranking. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
A slide stopped in the 67th pick, with Blake Miller worth more than the price. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
They did well to land Darrell Jackson Jr. in No. 102, just ahead of his grade. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Mike Washington Jr. in the Round 4 slot is fair value, right on his grade. It fills a real need, too.
They let Bryce Lance come to them and pounced at the 134th overall pick. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
A premium they did not need to pay, Ephesians Prysock a notch or two before his time. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.