RAIDERS MOCK DRAFT GRADE B-

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Noah B-

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Letter grade with a four-component score, written analysis, and a pick-by-pick breakdown for every selection in this saved mock.

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B-

Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders answered their biggest question with Mendoza. Grade: B-.

by Grumzy · 2026 NFL Draft · 10 picks · 4 steals · 3 reaches
Value B-
Need B
Trades B-
Future B-

The search is over. The Raiders handed the keys to Fernando Mendoza, and the whole operation now runs on his development. They moved the roster forward and banked a B- for it.

Black has a lot of ground to make up just to look fairly priced. They covered a lot of ground and still skipped edge rusher, which is a strange place to end up. That Taylor pick is the receipt they will wave around later.

With edge rusher and offensive lineman unsolved, spending premium capital on safety is the choice that costs them.

In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the edge rusher spot they never got to.

Pick-by-Pick

R1.1 · Pick 1 · Fernando Mendoza · QB · rank 4
In the 1st pick they get their guy under center for the next decade at fair value. A clean fit for the roster.
R2.4 · Pick 36 · Denzel Boston · WR · rank 31
Denzel Boston at Round 2, Pick 4 is a sound buy, the sort that quietly helps a class. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
R3.3 · Pick 67 · Zachariah Branch · WR · rank 65
They took Zachariah Branch at par in pick No. 67, which is nothing to complain about. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
R4.2 · Pick 102 · Zakee Wheatley · S · rank 90
A quiet steal in pick 102: Zakee Wheatley for less than the market said. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
R4.17 · Pick 117 · Genesis Smith · S · rank 106
A curious use of No. 117. Edge rusher and offensive lineman needed the pick; a safety in Genesis Smith did not.
R4.34 · Pick 134 · Will Lee III · CB · rank 126
Will Lee III is a better player than slot 134 suggests; smart patience, rewarded. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
R5.35 · Pick 175 · Zane Durant · DT · rank 185
They paid a round early for Zane Durant in the Round 5 slot, more than the board wanted. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
R6.4 · Pick 185 · Kaelon Black · RB · rank 226
Kaelon Black in the 185th overall pick is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
R6.27 · Pick 208 · Riley Nowakowski · TE · rank 224
A reach for Riley Nowakowski in slot 208; a little patience would have been rewarded. It fills a real need, too.
R7.3 · Pick 219 · J'Mari Taylor · RB · rank 195
Somehow J'Mari Taylor was still sitting there in No. 219, and they pounced on premier running back value. A need, and now a little less of one.
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