Now that the college football season is over, many of these players will turn their focus to the 2026 NFL Draft. The biggest name in this draft cycle is going to be Fernando Mendoza, the champion quarterback for Indiana.
But, beyond Mendoza, there are many other teams that need to target top college players to fill roster needs and to get back on the right track. Beyond that, a whopping 10 teams, nearly one-third of the league, will have a new head coach in 2026.
There has already been a ton of movement and change, and it's only going to increase in the coming months. Let's dive into three teams that have to ace their first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
These 3 teams have to ace their first round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft
Las Vegas Raiders (1st Overall Pick)
The Las Vegas Raiders obviously have the first overall pick, and it's not like they have three different quarterbacks to choose from. This is more something the Raiders have to hope, to a degree, that Fernando Mendoza is sharp enough above the shoulders to be a franchise QB in the NFL. At the end of the day, quarterbacks that don't work out in the NFL simply aren't able to process what happens on the field fast enough.
But part of that is also bringing in the right coaching staff to get the most out out Mendoza. This is a huge turning point in the franchise for Vegas, good or bad.
Kansas City Chiefs (9th Overall Pick)
The main reason why the Kansas City Chiefs have to ace this pick is because they are very likely not picking 9th overall as long as Patrick Mahomes is still himself, or close to it. Just about nothing worked for the Chiefs this year, and the wheels really fell off in the second half of the season. The roster itself is truly average at best, and with Mahomes now recovering from a torn ACL, this first-round selection has to be a good one.
While the popular opinion might be to take an offensive weapon with this pick, rebuilding the trenches a bit makes more sense. However you view it, we can all agree that this is a monumental selection for the Chiefs.
Los Angeles Chargers (22nd Overall Pick)
We're going with three of the four teams in the AFC West. The Los Angeles Chargers main issue this year was sporting the worst offensive line in the NFL, and even with a healthy Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater, the interior was still a liability. There might not be another viable position to take here than a guard or center, period.
GM Joe Hortiz is approaching a time in his GM tenure where he simply has to get this roster right, or his job could be on the line. With the Denver Broncos winning the AFC West, and the Chiefs now having a top-10 pick, the Chargers must be aggressive in filling the biggest needs this offseason.