Post Week 18 Mock Draft Raiders Take Fernando Mendoza No 1 Pff

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Jan 10, 2026, 5:56 AM

post week 18 mock draft raiders take fernando mendoza no 1 pff

The regular season has come to a close, the playoff field is set, and the draft order for every non-playoff team is now official. For draft fans, that’s the real starting line. Here’s a brand-new first-round 2026 mock draft built off the finalized order. As you follow along, you can explore Trevor Sikkema’s full top-300 big board inside the PFF Big Board Tool, giving you every grade and data point you need on the class. Then build out your own rankings with the fully customizable Big Board Builder or run endless draft scenarios in the Mock Draft Simulator. Through the holidays, get 30% off a PFF+ subscription with code HOLIDAY30.

The Raiders are officially on the clock, holding the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Geno Smith remains under contract for 2026, but Las Vegas cannot realistically enter next season with him as the unquestioned starter, especially with a partially or entirely new coaching staff likely coming to town. With the transfer policy and NIL revenue encouraging players to maximize their college eligibility, the 2026 NFL Draft lacks the bonanza of high-end talent we’ve seen in previous years. That said, there are plenty of future NFL starters — and even stars — at every position available. Like always, the organizations whose scouting and coaching departments are aligned will likely improve their rosters the most with their selections between April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.

But therein lies the cold reality. Many of the teams whose seasons just ended are facing massive decisions within their coaching and scouting departments. The Falcons just dismissed their head coach and general manager and personnel changes are expected elsewhere in the coming days, which will cause ripple effects throughout the league. There's still much to sort out, but the conclusion of the NFL’s regular season Sunday night locked in the selection order for the first 18 picks of the draft. And with the player pool clarifying each day as the college season finishes, we are now on the cusp of "draft season." With that, here's our latest 2026 mock draft. It promises to be a fascinating offseason in Las Vegas, where Geno Smith's future is up in the air after head coach Pete Carroll was fired.

Regardless of whether the Raiders bring back Smith, getting a fresh face at the game’s most important position is critical to keeping the fan base believing. Mendoza has looked every bit the No. 1 overall pick in earning the Heisman Trophy and guiding Indiana to a possible national championship. Mendoza’s physical traits — a prototypical frame, lightning-quick release, pocket mobility and accuracy to all levels of the field — warrant a first round selection, but it's his decision-making and poise that has turned... The Las Vegas Raiders are sitting pretty in the 2026 NFL Draft order. Before they even took the field, they were locked into the No.

1 overall pick with the New York Giants, the only team that could pass them via tiebreakers, winning on Sunday. And with that being the case and even more shake-ups in the draft order, we have to see how everything sits following the last week of the regular season, and how an NFL Mock... More than just the Raiders moved around or locked in favorable spots in Week 18, which makes this even more fun to dissect. That's even more so true with the College Football Playoff raising the stock of several prospects, including the top two quarterbacks in the 2026 draft class. But let's start by looking at the updated draft order before we dive into a mock draft with a projection for the Top 10 picks. So much is changing in the draft order after Week 18.

Like we said, Vegas is locked into the No. 1 pick because of the Giants' win — but that also means that New York moves down to the No. 5 selection with the victory, which pushes the Cardinals even higher in the draft order. Meanwhile, the Saints finally stopped their winning ways of late to lock themselves into a Top 10 pick, the same of which is true for the Bengals. While our quick NFL Mock Draft will only focus on the Top 10 picks momentarily, though, it's worth noting that the Dallas Cowboys might be the biggest winners, losing in Week 18. They slot in at No.

12 for now, which means they should have a crack at an elite talent. And Green Bay's pick to them has been getting even better down the stretch as well, which sets Jerry Jones up for even more chaos of his own creation. With the Raiders locked into the first-overall pick, they have their choice of quarterback. While I slightly prefer Fernando Mendoza, my gut tells me that Las Vegas will prefer the upside of Dante Moore, at least as far as the current regime is concerned (though that could change... Moore has all the tools, but less experience and more development ahead. For me, though, the Raiders aren't all that close to competing, so betting on the upside fits their timeline a little more seriously.

The Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants are a combined 5-27 on the season. While that sounds like doom and gloom, there’s a silver lining: both franchises remain in contention for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft–and the chance to select Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza. Week 17’s “Stinker Bowl” between the NFL’s only two-win teams went to the Giants, who cruised to a 34-10 victory and snapped a nine-game losing streak in the process. The result flipped the draft order, putting Las Vegas in the driver’s seat for the top selection heading into the final week. Here’s everything you need to know about the No.

1 pick scenarios for Week 18. The Raiders control their own destiny. Las Vegas clinches the No. 1 overall pick with: It’s that simple. Pete Carroll’s squad doesn’t need any help, just one more loss in a season full of them.

If the Raiders somehow beat Kansas City, the No. 1 pick would go to a strength-of-schedule tiebreaker, and Las Vegas would likely fall to No. 2. The Las Vegas Raiders finally catch a break. While the Browns were complicating things for the Steelers in their quest to wrap up the AFC North in Week 17 -- and, in the process, realistically falling out of range for the top... That result puts Las Vegas in pole position to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

There will be debate about whether Mendoza is worth the top pick (he is) or whether other quarterbacks could challenge him for QB1 (they can in theory, but Mendoza is the surest thing as... Either way, a year after passing on Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart at No. 6 in favor of running back Ashton Jeanty, the Raiders have no choice but to draft a quarterback this spring. After that, it's worth watching how the rest of the class shakes out. A long list of quarterbacks has already opted to return to school in 2026 -- either staying put or entering the transfer portal -- which could push QB-needy teams like the Jets, Cardinals, Browns,... In this mock, there are no trades, but three quarterbacks come off the board in the top five, leaving the Browns -- who own two first-round picks in 2026 -- on the outside looking...

Instead, Cleveland addresses wide receiver and offensive line, signaling a commitment to the two rookie quarterbacks it drafted last spring, at least for now. It also means the Cardinals, picking fifth, land Simpson as QB3 in the class -- the third time since 2018 that Arizona has used a high first-round pick on a franchise quarterback. The 2026 NFL Draft is a good time to be a team in need of pass rushing help. If you're looking for a quarterback, well, you'd better have a pretty great pick (or two). Next year's crop of pro prospects is loaded with defensive stars, wideouts and one elite running back. The quarterbacks, however, are a top-heavy field led by Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza (good!), toolsy Oregon deep ball savant Dante Moore (useful!) and Alabama's Ty Simpson (interesting in a way that might not...

Thus, teams in need of passing help who are merely bad and not terrible might be looking at an expensive trade just for the right to draft a quarterback with no guarantee of panning... Since the 2025 NFL Draft order remains in flux and we have no idea what free agency holds for each franchise, we're eschewing theoretical trades across this theoretical exercise. FTW's bowl season NFL mock draft remains a vague vision of what could be. It also helps us understand a little better which prospects could fill certain holes across the first 32 picks in April. Draft order is the inverse of our most recent FTW power rankings and, since we've still got three weeks left in the regular season, subject to change. Let's start at the top with a team entirely capable of sinking to the top spot in the draft.

Geno Smith can stick around as a mentor for only $8 million more than his dead cap number. He'd be an asset for another accurate late bloomer behind center -- like Smith, Mendoza's elite downfield accuracy means he'll dazzle when it comes to advanced stats like completion percentage over expected (CPOE). He balances pinpoint throws with strong, quick decision making and enough athleticism to keep defenses wary of his run game. The Las Vegas Raiders’ loss this weekend to the New York Giants has put them in a prime position to select a quarterback prospect with the number one pick in the 2026 NFL draft. There will be quarterback talent at the top of draft for needy teams. Afterwards, we will see a run of defensive linemen and wide receivers boosting some of the league’s most barren rosters.

What direction will your team go in the first round? Let’s take a look at how the 2026 draft could play out. MORE: NFL insider predicts which player Raiders would pick No. 1 in 2026 draft Fernando Mendoza and top-seeded Indiana will take on Alabama in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Michael Reaves / Getty Images

The race for the NFL’s worst record has a firm leader heading into the final lap. At 2-14 with one game left (versus the Chiefs), the Raiders are the current favorites to land the No. 1 pick for the 2026 NFL Draft. Four three-win teams remain right behind Las Vegas: the Giants (versus Dallas in Week 18), Jets (at Buffalo), Titans (at Jacksonville) and Cardinals (at Rams). While we wait for the final non-playoff teams to settle into place, here’s a look at how the first 18 picks of this year’s draft — everything up until the postseason cutline — could... Once again, the Raiders need an awful lot, but they’ve kicked the QB can down the road long enough.

The 2026 NFL Draft order is now set for the non-playoff teams at the end of the 2025 regular season. Outside of the Falcons and Colts, who have traded their first-round picks, 16 teams know for sure when they are picking first on April 23. From the growing obvious choice at the top based on need and talent to the teams who just missed the postseason, here's the latest look at Sporting News' projections also with the College Football... MORE: Ranking NFL playoff teams 1-14 based on Super Bowl 60 chances Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana (6-5, 225 pounds)

Post Week 18 Mock Draft Raiders Take Fernando Mendoza No 1 Pff

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