B-
Las Vegas Raiders
Quarterback settled, Mendoza in the fold, and a B- for the Raiders.
by Raiders92 ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 2 steals
· 5 reaches
Nobody else had Deven Eastern anywhere near the Round 6 slot. The Raiders did, by 77 spots, and that gap is the whole story.
The whole projection now runs through Fernando Mendoza; hit there and everything else looks smarter. They will regret leaving edge rusher for another day if the season turns on it.
On value alone, Everette makes the weekend a net positive.
Good work on the whole, with edge rusher the one box left unchecked.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 1 they get their quarterback of the future. A real need, handled.
Nice patience on Dillon Thieneman, who had no business lasting to No. 36. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
Germie Bernard at the Round 3 slot is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the wide receiver. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
They barely believed it either: Daylen Everette still on the board at pick 102. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
A wild overpay on Dametrious Crownover in the 117th overall pick, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Beau Stephens at slot 134 is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
By-the-book stuff, Bryce Boettcher at pick 175 squarely in line with his ranking. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
A reach on J'Mari Taylor in No. 185; the board had better options right there. A need, and now a little less of one.
Deven Eastern in Round 6, Pick 27 is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. The roster fit checks out.
Wesley Bissainthe at pick No. 219 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.