It may not be officially official just yet, but the Las Vegas Raiders have essentially locked in the No. 1 pick in a season where disappointing doesn’t even begin to describe Pete Carroll’s return from retirement. The Raiders have just two wins and barring anything crazy in the season finale, should finish with the No. 1 overall pick. The question becomes: Which quarterback do they draft with the first pick?
They need a quarterback desperately – with a lot of help too – but they can’t go into next season planning on running it back with Geno Smith. Here’s a look at a three-round mock draft for the Raiders as they desperately fill all their needs. Keep in mind, they could be losing their elite EDGE rusher in Maxx Crosby this offseason too.
Round 1, Pick 1: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
It’s pretty clear that Fernando Mendoza and Dante Moore are the top two quarterbacks entering the 2026 NFL Draft and truthfully either one could go first. I think Mendoza fits better with the Raiders than Moore does which is why I mock Mendoza to Las Vegas. Mendoza didn’t have an elite receiving core from a recruiting standpoint. Elijah Sarratt didn’t have a star rating as a prospect and Omar Cooper Jr. was a three-star prospect.
He knows how to elevate a team with very little, which is what Las Vegas has. I’m not saying he’s going to be the next great quarterback to be the face of the NFL, but I am saying the Raiders give him the best chance for long term success, if it’s between him and Moore.
This is a major need for Las Vegas after Smith’s collapse. I don’t know if Pete Carroll comes back next year either, but if he does, it doesn’t hurt that Carroll turned Russell Wilson from a mid-round pick into a Super Bowl MVP. That could benefit Mendoza’s development as well.
Round 2, pick 33: OT Gennings Dunker, Iowa
If the New England Patriots laid out the blueprint for instant success, it’s making sure you get your offensive tackle to protect your quarterback and the Raiders need just as much help with the offensive line as they do quarterback. Snagging Dunker at 33 is a bit of a risk, but it’s more risky to take one in the third round.
Where his addition becomes massive is he is a great run blocker. Though he’ll have to work on consistency as a pass protector, with Ashton Jeanty in the backfield, outside runs become a bigger part of this offense with Dunker. He has a mid-round grade on him so it could be a reach, but it could very well pay off.
Round 3, pick 65: WR Ja’Kobi Lane, USC
Using the NFL Mock Draft simulator, I played around with it a few times to see what scenarios I could work with and the goal was to land a solid receiver in the third round. Ideally, Ja’Kobi Lane is still there, which could give this offense every important piece it needs to build around. Lane has a second-round grade on him so it could be tough to pass up on him, hoping he makes it another 30-plus picks.
That said, USC receivers have done really well in the NFL, so if they can get him, it would make sense to land him. Drake London, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Michael Pittman Jr. and Jordan Addison have all made a name for themselves. Passing on Lane just doesn’t make sense for the Raiders. If they can get him in the second round, cool, if they can land him in the third round, even better.