RAIDERS MOCK DRAFT GRADE B-

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TakingShape5thApril 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 bet the future on Mendoza. The board says B-.

by Grumzy · 2026 NFL Draft · 12 picks · 5 steals · 4 reaches
Value B-
Need B
Trades B-
Future B-

If confidence were a draft strategy, the Raiders would have aced it. Roman Hemby at No. 236 is 117 spots clear of where he belonged. A dependable weekend that grades out a B-.

Fernando Mendoza is the bet, and the class will be judged on how it pays off. The Clark pick reads as want over need, and the roster will feel it at edge rusher and offensive lineman. That edge rusher hole did not close this weekend, and it was the biggest one on the wall.

On value alone, Clark makes the weekend a net positive.

All told, a draft that does its job without fuss, and there is real value in that.

Pick-by-Pick

R1.1 · Pick 1 · Fernando Mendoza · QB · rank 4
In pick No. 1 they get the arm they will build around at fair value. A clean fit for the roster.
R2.4 · Pick 36 · Dillon Thieneman · S · rank 35
No edge and no loss on Dillon Thieneman in the 36th pick; it is a wash and a sensible one. A minor need, but a need all the same.
R3.3 · Pick 67 · Christen Miller · DL · rank 56
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Christen Miller at slot 67. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
R4.2 · Pick 102 · Ted Hurst · WR · rank 89
Ted Hurst at No. 102 is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
R4.20 · Pick 120 · Bud Clark · S · rank 103
A surprising call. With edge rusher and offensive lineman still to address, they spent Round 4, Pick 20 on Bud Clark, a safety they were not short of.
R4.34 · Pick 134 · Will Lee III · CB · rank 124
Will Lee III slid further than he should have, and the Round 4 slot is lovely value for the cornerback. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
R5.35 · Pick 175 · Taylen Green · QB · rank 188
A reach for Taylen Green in the Round 5 slot; a little patience would have been rewarded. The roster fit checks out.
R6.4 · Pick 185 · Domani Jackson · CB · rank 176
Domani Jackson slipping to the 185th overall pick is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
R6.20 · Pick 201 · Riley Nowakowski · TE · rank 216
They liked Riley Nowakowski enough to skip the value, taking him in No. 201. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
R6.27 · Pick 208 · Kaelon Black · RB · rank 217
Kaelon Black at pick No. 208 jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
R7.3 · Pick 219 · Keyshaun Elliott · LB · rank 219
A market-rate linebacker, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Keyshaun Elliott. It adds depth where they could use a little.
R7.20 · Pick 236 · Roman Hemby · RB · rank 353
A big swing on Roman Hemby at pick 236, well ahead of any board in the building. A need, and now a little less of one.
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