2026 NFL Mock Draft: Raiders land Fernando Mendoza, stack offensive weapons

After one week of free agency, the Las Vegas Raiders roster has already begun to be revamped, with tens of millions of dollars poured into veterans to fill some of their biggest needs. Approaching the 2026 NFL Draft, in lieu of the Maxx Crosby trade falling through, Las Vegas may be closer to contention than many realize.

Round 1 Pick 1: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

It's far beyond the point of questioning where the front office goes with the 1st overall pick. Fernando Mendoza is the future of their franchise, and, as is the usual trend with the No. 1 overall selection, the draft card will be handed in about as quickly as it gets announced that Las Vegas is on the clock. The plan has continued to be prioritizing upgrading the team's talent to surround the incoming rookie, and making his situation as smooth a transition as possible.

Round 2 Pick 36: Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana

Speaking of comfort, what better way to make Mendoza's life easier than adding one of his top targets at Indiana? Omar Cooper Jr. had his best collegiate season in 2025, just missing out on 1,000 yards, and putting together a campaign that has him squarely in the conversation of the top wideouts in the draft class. This pick may need to be predated with a trade-up back into the 1st round, but General Manager John Spykek should be extensively looking into whatever it takes to potentially keep the pair together.

Round 3 Pick 67: Domonique Orange, DL, Iowa State

Simply put, the Raiders have a lot of bodies on their interior defensive line, but not a lot of upside. Their depth chart at the position is filled with veteran depth pieces, and, despite making some significant strides to address their EDGE needs, as well as the abrupt return of Crosby, the defensive line is still far from an ideal situation. Domonique Orange has some quickness to him, but his main strengths come from his run defense skills. If their pass-rushing additions pay off, he could be a valuable player to round out their front seven, and at a reasonable draft pick cost.

Round 4 Pick 102: Bud Clark, SAF, TCU

Bud Clark is an absolute missile in the secondary and plays with the versatility and physicality that can electrify a defense. He's a scheme-fluid defender and will offer a lot of desirable traits to the rebuilding Raiders' defense, with arguably his biggest being pure availability. He needs to work on his discipline and overall balance, but the Las Vegas safety room isn't the deepest, and he could find consistent playing time rather quickly.

Round 4 Pick 117 (via JAX): Brian Parker II, OT, Duke

The splash signing of former Baltimore Ravens' star center Tyler Linderbaum did most of the heavy lifting to fortify the interior offensive line, but the rest of their blocking outlook is far from consistent. Brian Parker II has the pass protection abilities to survive on the outside, albeit he does have some length concerns. A quick learner, the Duke product would have the chance to start early, and growing with the team could result in a solid upgrade to the offensive line.

Round 4 Pick 134 (Compensatory Pick): Max Llewellyn, EDGE, Iowa

Max Llewellyn is a pass rush specialist with most of his concerns coming in his rough tape as a run defender, and he could be a good fit for the Raiders as a Day 3 depth selection. The frame, quickness, and wealth of pass-rush moves should offset some of his stiffness issues. The former Hawkeye projects as a rotational edge rusher, and that's a role he could slide into with a top-heavy Las Vegas EDGE group.

Round 5 Pick 175 (Compensatory Pick): Tacario Davis, CB, Washington

At the NFL Combine in late February, Tacario Davis put together a performance that could have scouts falling over themselves for the chance to mold him as a Day 3 prospect. A 6'4" frame, a 4.41-second 40-yard dash, and NFL-level quickness round out the highlights of why he could be so sought after in the middle rounds. Mocking him to Las Vegas this late may be a stretch, but if it becomes an actual possibility, he could be a fun player to take a low-risk chance on.

Round 6 Pick 185: Beau Stephens, OG, Iowa

More offensive line help shouldn't be a surprise to any Raiders fan, and Beau Stephens is one prospect that might be worth buying the hype. He took massive strides in 2025, going from a relative unknown to a prospect almost guaranteed to hear his name called at the NFL Draft. Injuries and overall mobility concerns will drop him down draft boards, but there's still a lot to like as a late-round add. He can slot in as a depth guard from Day 1, with the chance to develop into a stable backup, or even a starter down the line.

Round 6 Pick 208 (via NYJ): John Michael Gyllenborg, TE, Wyoming

John Michael Gyllenborg is a prototypical depth tight end, and another player with some upside to look at in the later rounds. He's athletic, can get vertical on defenses, and has the frame to be more than just a camp body. The Raiders' TE room isn't an area in dire need of improvement, but it couldn't hurt to bring in another piece to fight for a spot on the depth chart behind superstar Brock Bowers.

Round 7 Pick 219: Luke Altmyer, QB, Illinois

Doubling up on quarterbacks isn't a rarity, especially with just one other, Aidan O'Connell, currently on the roster. There's virtually no downside in taking a signal caller this late, especially if Mendoza turns out how they believe he can. Ideally, Luke Altmyer, who has shown some intriguing traits on tape, could battle for the QB2 position with the aforementioned O'Connell and work into a longer-term backup role.