The NFL playoffs are down to the last four teams, soon to be two of them fighting it out for another Lombardi Trophy. The majority of the NFL is, as Bill Belichick might say, "On to" the 2026 NFL Draft.
The college football season is finally finished, with the Indiana Hoosiers going on an incredible run thanks largely to quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who is all but solidified as the #1 overall pick for the Las Vegas Raiders. Even if there is minimal drama with that pick, there will be plenty of fun twists and turns with this offseason.
Our latest 2026 NFL mock draft will take a look at the first two rounds in full, with Mendoza getting things started in the #1 slot. How will teams address their biggest needs? What are the strongest positions in this class, and which prospects might be the best fit for every situation?
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1. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
The Raiders have a no-brainer choice here with the 1st overall pick. There is nothing really preventing them from operating this entire offseason under the belief that Fernando Mendoza will be the #1 overall pick in the draft, and hopefully (for the Raiders’ sake) they’re able to agree upon that decision as quickly as possible.
This team has plenty of major fish yet to fry in the 2026 offseason, starting with still being in need of a head coach. I suppose if you think about the fact that the top pick is a foregone conclusion, it’s not really a big deal that they don’t have a coach just yet. The assumption would obviously be that the Raiders are looking at someone who is still currently coaching, and the most talked about names up to this point are Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak and Broncos QB coach Davis Webb.
Either of those guys would seem to be perfect for the development of a young player like Mendoza.
2. New York Jets: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
The New York Jets, as we will likely say a million times throughout the course of this offseason, are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Obviously, this team feels like it has a decent foundation with some of the players on the roster. Obviously, they feel like Aaron Glenn is the right man for the job in terms of being the team’s head coach going forward.
The major bummer for this team is, they already tried a transition year at the quarterback position, so what in the world are they going to do for 2026? Justin Fields represented a calculated risk at the position, and it was an abject failure. At this point, if the Jets can’t get Fernando Mendoza, then they’ve got to be ready to simply add as many building blocks as possible.
Arvell Reese can absolutely be that for them as one of the most dynamic playmakers defensively in all of college football.