The Las Vegas Raiders have likely known for weeks now that they'll be taking Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He is the best QB in the class, and the Raiders might have the most urgent need at the position in the NFL.
And with how good the rest of the AFC West appears to be, the Raiders really have to hope that Mendoza can develop into that franchise QB. But beyond that, the team has to put the right coaching staff in place with a QB development focus in mind as well.
One of the near-guarantees in the 2026 NFL Draft is Mendoza coming off the board with the first overall pick, but beyond that, what else could the Las Vegas Raiders do? Let's get into a Raiders mock draft where the team gets aggressive.
Las Vegas Raiders 7-Round 2026 NFL Mock Draft
1. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
The Las Vegas Raiders have watched as the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, and Kansas City Chiefs become mainstays in the NFL playoffs. It's a troubling trend that has really got to stop if you're the Raiders.
While the rest of the roster is relatively terrible, getting the right QB in the building does fix most issues. There really isn't another viable option here than to take Mendoza. He's likely going to start from day one as well.
36. Vega Ioane, OG, Penn State
The Raiders bolter the offensive line with one of the top guard prospect, Vega Ioane. The main issue with Vegas' OL in 2025, though, honestly seemed to be more on coaching, as the OL does have some talent, but more would never hurt.
Thus far, the Raiders hopefully just found two foundational pieces on the offensive side of the ball for years to come.
67. Chris Brazzell II, WR, Tennessee
Chris Brazzell is a field-stretching wide receiver and someone who is going to create a ton of vertical separation. Getting him here at the top of the third round is a bit of a steal
102. Jalon Kilgore, S, South Carolina
The Raiders always seem to be fielding a bad secondary. They try to fix that and get some safety help with Jalon Kilgore.
124. Jake Slaughter, OC, Florida
Another OL prospect, Vegas grabs Jake Slaughter from Florida and is clearly trying to stock up this room with as much talent as possible. Good idea.
134. Treydan Stukes, CB, Arizona
Again addressing the secondary, Treydan Stukes from Arizona is the pick at 134. He has 29 career passes defended in six collegiate seasons.
175. Adam Randall, RB, Clemson
Adam Randall is 6-2 and nearly 230 pounds. He's about as big of a running back as you see in the NFL at this point and someone who could help take the load off Ashton Jeanty. This could be a sneaky-good pick for the Raiders at 175.
180. Jack Kelly, LB, BYU
Jack Kelly had 13.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks for BYU this year. There is always a need for high-upside pass-rusher at the ILB position.
183. Drew Allar, QB, Penn State
I really do believe it would be a wise idea for the Raiders to double-dip at quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft, as teams that do not have a franchise passer should take multiple swings every year until they find one. Drew Allar is coming off a season-ending injury and needs some help with his mechanics, but he's a prospect that legitimately has all the tools to end up as a capable starter.
Much of this is going to simply be on development, and with Mendoza as the QB1, Allar would not be under any sort of pressure to start.
219. Caden Curry, EDGE, Ohio State
The Raiders finish up this mock draft with some pass-rush help and grab Caden Curry from Ohio State.