The AFC West is going to be one of the most interesting divisions to monitor heading into the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Raiders own the #1 overall pick, the Chiefs have two first-rounders, and the Broncos made a blockbuster deal for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. The Chargers have some big-name pieces on their roster to replace, and have to find ways to better support Justin Herbert.
How will each of these teams utilize their top picks in the 2026 NFL Draft? We know what the Raiders are doing #1 overall at this point, so we'll give a bonus pick for them, but we're going to take a look at every team's top pick in this division, including both of Kansas City's first-round selections. Will these teams address their most immediate needs, or will they be thinking with the future in mind?
2026 NFL mock draft: AFC West teams load up for franchise quarterbacks
Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana; Trade up for WR Omar Cooper Jr.
We already know what the Raiders are doing with the #1 pick. It's going to be Fernando Mendoza, and there shouldn't be any surprises there. We also know that Kirk Cousins is going to be the presumptive starter for that team until it's clear they need to make a switch.
I'm going to throw in a fun wrinkle for the Raiders and say that they will try to trade up for Omar Cooper Jr. to reunite him with Mendoza if he gets past the 20th overall pick. If Cooper is within range, he fills a huge need for the Raiders this offseason at the receiver position, and the familiarity with Mendoza is a bonus.
Cooper was recently reported as one of the Raiders' pre-draft visits, and although that doesn't always mean a team is going to draft someone, it could really make a lot of sense for them. Cooper is tough, he's a great athlete, and he could really capitalize on all of the attention Brock Bowers receives.
Kansas City Chiefs: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee (9th overall); Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State (29th overall)
The Kansas City Chiefs are entering the 2026 NFL Draft with so many needs, I don't know if the rest of the NFL world has fully wrapped their brains around it.
The Chiefs have already been pegged as one of the top 10 Super Bowl favorites for next season, but people seem to be forgetting that this team has serious issues with their defensive personnel right now on top of the offensive line and skill positions. And Patrick Mahomes is recovering from a major knee injury.
There are a lot of directions the Chiefs could go in the draft, is what I'm trying to say, and the smartest path may be to take some combination of cornerback and offensive tackle with their pair of first-round picks.
Jermod McCoy and Max Iheanachor would represent a risky roll of the dice for two first-round players considering McCoy is coming off of injury, and Iheanachor is pretty raw at this stage of his football career. But the talent both of these guys have is tremendous, and they could end up being great value for their draft slots.
Los Angeles Chargers: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson (22nd overall)
When the NFL Draft actually rolls around, it's going to be fun to see when the run on offensive linemen starts happening, and how quickly all of these guys fly off the board. This isn't considered the best offensive line class in recent memory, but it's seemingly got a lot of 1st-round caliber players.
And the Chargers need to be ready to pounce.
The ideal 1st-round player for the Chargers might actually be Kadyn Proctor from Alabama, but it feels more and more like he's not getting outside of the top 20 picks overall. And the Chargers only have five picks to play with in this draft. They need to make them count.
With Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater coming off of injuries, the Chargers need to add some better insurance as well as upgrade both guard positions. Zion Johnson walked in free agency and Mekhi Becton was cut after one season with the team.
The Chargers brought in Trevor Penning last year as a possible reclamation project, and they also added Tyler Biadasz and Cole Strange this offseason to upgrade the interior. Blake Miller could be a long-term starter at tackle or guard and has a ton of in-game experience at Clemson. He's big, he's got great length, and he's athletic.
Denver Broncos: Max Klare, TE, Ohio State (62nd overall)
After the Denver Broncos made a blockbuster deal to acquire wide receiver Jaylen Waddle from the Miami Dolphins, they no longer have a 1st or 3rd-round pick. Their top pick is pick 62 overall, and they've had some pretty great picks in that range since George Paton became the general manager of the team in 2021.
They took Nik Bonitto at pick 64 in 2022, Marvin Mims Jr. at pick 63 in 2023, and RJ Harvey at pick 60 in 2025.
Could lightning strike in this pick range yet again in 2026? Max Klare is a well-rounded tight end prospect whose play speed at tight end is exactly what the Broncos need. Evan Engram is entering the last year of his deal with the team, and the Broncos simply lack any dynamic pass-catching options outside of Engram.
Klare can play in-line as well as move around the offensive formation as the weapon Sean Payton has long coveted at the position.