B
Las Vegas Raiders
Quarterback settled, Mendoza in the fold, and a B for the Raiders.
by RaiderRich ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 4 steals
· 1 reaches
They finally answered the question that shadows every other one. Fernando Mendoza is the Raiders' quarterback, full stop.
Every board in the league had Taylor lower, and that gap is the story. The Orange steal is the beam this whole class leans on.
The edge rusher spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but edge rusher.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 1st overall pick they get the face of the franchise at fair value. A real need, handled.
In pick 24 they get the heartbeat of the defense, outstanding value to boot. Need was not the driver here.
Elijah Sarratt in the 77th pick is fair value, right on his grade. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Domonique Orange slid further than he should have, and No. 90 is lovely value for the interior defensive lineman. The roster fit checks out.
The board had Malik Muhammad higher than the Round 4 slot, and the cornerback fell to them anyway. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Bishop Fitzgerald in Round 4, Pick 26 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
Jaeden Roberts in pick No. 155 lands just on the right side of the ledger. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
J'Mari Taylor in slot 168 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
A tidy bit of business in pick 181, where Tanner Koziol graded well above the range. A need, and now a little less of one.