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Wilson S 2026 Nfl Mock Draft 4 0 Raiders Take Fernando Mendoza With No

Bonisiwe Shabane
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wilson s 2026 nfl mock draft 4 0 raiders take fernando mendoza with no

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 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 2025 NFL regular season is in the books! That means 18 teams are looking forward to the 2026 NFL Draft, among other notable offseason events.

Who should your team target? We take our latest shots right here. In this mock draft, Charles McDonald makes the odd-numbered picks, and Nate Tice makes the even. Draft order via Tankathon. More 2026 NFL mock drafts: 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 The Raiders need a quarterback.

Mendoza is the best one in the draft. Easy. He fits the profile of a top-10 pick with his ability to run the offense at a high level, strong arm talent and enough mobility to keep plays alive under duress. No one is confusing him for a Drake Maye- or Josh Allen-level athlete, but he’s not the stiff many have made him out to be. This is a fine and logical pick for the Raiders. It is still not 100% that Moore is declaring for this year’s draft, but in this exercise he has entered his name.

Moore has shown much improvement this season. He is accurate and can put the ball where he wants when kept clean. He’s a solid athlete and can create enough as a player, but he’s best when operating from the pocket and on plays he has spent time on. Moore could stand to add some bulk to his frame (listed at 6-foot-3, 206 pounds), but a strong finish to the season could encourage the Jets to take a chance as a player to... 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. The 2025 NFL regular season is in the books!

That means 18 teams are looking forward to the 2026 NFL Draft, among other notable offseason events. Who should your team target? We take our latest shots right here. In this mock draft, Charles McDonald makes the odd-numbered picks, and Nate Tice makes the even. Draft order via Tankathon. More 2026 NFL mock drafts: 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0

The Raiders need a quarterback. Mendoza is the best one in the draft. Easy. He fits the profile of a top-10 pick with his ability to run the offense at a high level, strong arm talent and enough mobility to keep plays alive under duress. No one is confusing him for a Drake Maye- or Josh Allen-level athlete, but he’s not the stiff many have made him out to be. This is a fine and logical pick for the Raiders.

It is still not 100% that Moore is declaring for this year’s draft, but in this exercise he has entered his name. Moore has shown much improvement this season. He is accurate and can put the ball where he wants when kept clean. He’s a solid athlete and can create enough as a player, but he’s best when operating from the pocket and on plays he has spent time on. Moore could stand to add some bulk to his frame (listed at 6-foot-3, 206 pounds), but a strong finish to the season could encourage the Jets to take a chance as a player to... 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) 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 2026 NFL mock draft by Ryan Wilson has the Las Vegas Raiders poised to secure the No.

1 overall pick, likely selecting Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The Browns, meanwhile, are at risk of missing out on top QBs after complicating matters for the Steelers through their recent performances. The Raiders are expected to finally address their quarterback needs after passing on prospects in previous drafts. With several quarterbacks returning to school, teams like the Jets, Cardinals, and Dolphins may look to trade up for talent like Dante Moore or Ty Simpson, while the Browns plan to bolster their wide... Ahead of the draft, expect discussions around the quarterback class to intensify, especially regarding potential trades. Teams needing new quarterbacks may attempt to move up, relying on the shifting dynamics of college player eligibility.

The Raiders will finalize their decision on Mendoza as their franchise quarterback, while teams like the Cardinals will strategize around their own quarterback needs. The Raiders are finally in a position to secure a promising quarterback with the top pick, likely ending their quarterback uncertainty. Meanwhile, the Browns’ focus away from adding another quarterback signals their long-term commitment to the current roster, influencing their draft strategy significantly. The summary of the linked article was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence technology from OpenAI © 2026 BVM Sports. Best Version Media, LLC.

The 2025 NFL regular season concluded Sunday, which means the 2026 NFL draft order is set for the first 18 picks. We now know the Raiders will have the No. 1 selection. So let's project which prospect Las Vegas might take and how all 32 first-round picks could play out with a brand-new mock draft. Keep in mind that we have three-plus months until the draft starts April 23 in Pittsburgh. There are still three games left in the 2025 college football season, too.

Some players could decide to head back to school before declaration day later this month, while others could surprisingly leave early to join the class. We also have predraft events such as all-star games and the combine, which will shake up boards. And let's not forget that every NFL team's needs will continue to evolve as they take inventory of their rosters this offseason and sign players in free agency to fill voids. That all said, this is where things stand right now. For this mock draft, we know the order for pick Nos. 1-18 but then used ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) to project the order for Nos.

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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 fi...

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Who should your team target? We take our latest shots right here. In this mock draft, Charles McDonald makes the odd-numbered picks, and Nate Tice makes the even. Draft order via Tankathon. More 2026 NFL mock drafts: 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 The Raiders need a quarterback.