Fernando Mendoza
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MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JANUARY 19: Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers celebrates after defeating Miami Hurricanes 27-21 in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium on January 19, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
The 2026 NFL draft is officially less than three weeks away. On April 23, the Las Vegas Raiders will make Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza the No. 1 overall pick, cementing him as the future of their storied franchise. After leading the Hoosiers to an undefeated season and the program’s first national title, he’s the overwhelming favorite to join the Raiders with their top-level draft pick.
But the Raiders’ draft doesn’t end with Mendoza. Even though they lost out on an extra first-round pick when the Ravens rescinded the Maxx Crosby trade, Las Vegas still has two more picks in the top 75, both of which can be used to add immediately impactful players.
I’ll be running a three-round Raiders-centric mock draft using PFF’s simulator for accuracy. I cover the draft extensively and this is a predictive mock draft — meaning this is what I expect the Raiders to do at each pick, if the board falls this way.
Round 1, Pick 1: The Las Vegas Raiders Select Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza
Fernando Mendoza
GettyBLOOMINGTON, INDIANA – APRIL 01: Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers scrambles during the 2026 IU Pro Day at John Mellencamp Pavilion on April 01, 2026 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
There’s no debating this pick, and there isn’t even much of a need to discuss it. Mendoza has been the pick here since the Raiders earned the No. 1 overall selection. He’s the clear-cut top quarterback in this class, several tiers above every other prospect at that position.
Because Las Vegas signed Kirk Cousins to a significant contract yesterday, it seems the plan is for Mendoza to start the season on the bench and only see the field when he’s ready — and the Raiders have a suitable offensive infrastructure around him.
Round 2, Pick 36: The Las Vegas Raiders Select Washington WR Denzel Boston
Denzel Boston
GettySEATTLE, WASHINGTON – NOVEMBER 29: Denzel Boston #12 of the Washington Huskies celebrates his touchdown during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Husky Stadium on November 29, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
There are a lot of good players left on the board here, but with Boston still available, the Raiders would sprint the card in. A star at Washington the last two seasons, he’s a dynamic, big-bodied receiver who can play a true X-receiver role on the outside. Boston owns the middle of the field, devastating defenses with in-breaking routes and deep posts, and few receivers in this class can match him in contested catch situations.
I also considered Georgia DT Christen Miller, Oregon G Emmanuel Pregnon, Utah OT Caleb Lomu, and San Diego State CB Chris Johnson in this spot. But the opportunity for the Raiders to pair Mendoza and Boston up as an electric offensive duo for years to come was just too enticing to pass up.
Round 3, Pick 67: The Las Vegas Raiders Select Texas CB Malik Muhammad
The Raiders can truly go best player available at this point, and on my board, that’s Muhammad. A strong, athletic corner for the Longhorns, Muhammad has developed into one of the most fluid and versatile defensive backs in this entire class. He thrives in man or zone, with plus ball skills and some of the most agile and quick-twitch reps you’ll ever see from a cornerback on tape.
Between Mendoza, Boston, and Muhammad, the Raiders come out of this three-round mock draft with three cornerstone pieces added at three of the most valuable positions on a football field. It’s not often you come out of a draft with franchise-caliber players at quarterback, wide receiver, and cornerback, but that’s what Las Vegas did here.