B-
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders answered their biggest question with Mendoza. Grade: B-.
by Grumzy ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 2 steals
· 4 reaches
When the story of this class is written, it opens with Roman Hemby at the Round 7 slot, a reach of 135 spots that the board flatly disagrees with.
Everything downstream of Fernando Mendoza depends on Fernando Mendoza, and the building knows it. A whole weekend of picks and edge rusher is somehow still a want. Ponds at that cost is the sort of edge that compounds over a roster.
A workmanlike haul that should hold up just fine.
Pick-by-Pick
No edge and no loss on Fernando Mendoza in the 1st overall pick; it is a wash and a sensible one. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
They paid sticker price for Omar Cooper Jr. in Round 2, Pick 4, and that is fine. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
D'Angelo Ponds at No. 67 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Darrell Jackson Jr. in the Round 4 slot is fair value, right on his grade. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Genesis Smith at slot 117 is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. It adds depth where they could use a little.
The board had cheaper options than Dametrious Crownover at pick 134, and it noticed. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
A conviction pick on Taylen Green at the 175th pick that the board grades a round light. The roster fit checks out.
By-the-book stuff, VJ Payne at the 185th overall pick squarely in line with his ranking. Nice player, but the depth chart did not need him here.
Riley Nowakowski at pick 208 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Roman Hemby at slot 219 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.