RAIDERS MOCK DRAFT GRADE B-

  1. Home
  2. My Stuff
  3. SameBirthdayRucci!!!

SameBirthdayRucci!!! B-

URL samebirthdayrucci-raiders-3916

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

My Mock Drafts →
Grade another draft →
B-

Las Vegas Raiders

A franchise passer in Mendoza headlines a B- weekend for the Raiders.

by Grumzy · 2026 NFL Draft · 11 picks · 4 steals · 4 reaches
Value B-
Need B
Trades B-
Future B-

The Raiders torched the value chart for Riley Nowakowski, taking him 61 spots sooner than anyone had him slotted.

Whatever Fernando Mendoza becomes, the front office has tied its fortunes to the answer. The Smith pick reads as want over need, and the roster will feel it at edge rusher.

They covered a lot of ground and still skipped edge rusher, which is a strange place to end up. That is a cornerback worth more than the slot they spent on him, plainly.

All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but edge rusher.

Pick-by-Pick

R1.1 · Pick 1 · Fernando Mendoza · QB · rank 4
In slot 1 they get a franchise quarterback at fair value. A clean fit for the roster.
R2.4 · Pick 36 · Dillon Thieneman · S · rank 35
Dillon Thieneman in Round 2, Pick 4 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
R3.3 · Pick 67 · Germie Bernard · WR · rank 58
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Germie Bernard in the 67th overall pick. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
R4.6 · Pick 106 · Treydan Stukes · CB · rank 96
Treydan Stukes at pick No. 106 is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
R4.17 · Pick 117 · Genesis Smith · S · rank 101
The eyebrow-raiser of the weekend. They went safety with Genesis Smith while clear needs at edge rusher sat open.
R4.34 · Pick 134 · Chris McClellan · DT · rank 141
No drama and no debate, Chris McClellan went about where he belonged in No. 134. A need, and now a little less of one.
R5.27 · Pick 167 · Charles Demmings · CB · rank 148
Charles Demmings in slot 167 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
R5.35 · Pick 175 · Taylen Green · QB · rank 185
They went early on Taylen Green in Round 5, Pick 35, and the value did not follow. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
R6.4 · Pick 185 · Kaelon Black · RB · rank 211
Kaelon Black at the 185th overall pick is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
R6.27 · Pick 208 · Riley Nowakowski · TE · rank 269
They reached into another round for Riley Nowakowski, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
R7.3 · Pick 219 · Nolan Rucci · OT · rank 250
Nolan Rucci at pick 219 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
View Full Draft