2026 NFL Mock Draft: Raiders Take Mendoza #1, Jets Land Moore
Las Vegas Raiders secure the #1 pick for the 2026 NFL Draft. See our full mock draft featuring Fernando Mendoza, Ty Simpson, and Caleb Downs.
LAS VEGAS — The 2025 NFL regular season is in the rearview mirror, and while the league focuses on Wild Card weekend, the “Suck for Mendoza” sweepstakes has officially concluded. The Las Vegas Raiders have secured the pole position for the 2026 NFL Draft, and the path forward is clear: it is time to find a franchise cornerstone.
The Top 5: A New Era of Playmakers
The Las Vegas Raiders didn’t just lose games in 2025; they lost their offensive identity. Geno Smith led the league in interceptions, proving that a veteran stop-gap wasn’t the answer. By selecting Fernando Mendoza out of Indiana, Tom Brady’s front office gets a Heisman winner who threw 33 touchdowns and led the Hoosiers to a perfect 13-0 regular season. Pairing Mendoza with Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty creates an immediate triple-threat for any AFC West defense.
In New York, the Jets are reportedly ready to move on from the Justin Fields experiment. With five first-round picks over the next two years, GM Darren Mougey has the capital to take a swing on Dante Moore. The Oregon signal-caller hasn’t officially declared, but scouts view his high-velocity arm as the perfect fit for Aaron Glenn’s rebuilding roster. Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals, sitting at #3, appear content to bolster the trenches with Miami tackle Francis Mauigoa, effectively punting on a QB until a veteran bridge is found.
2026 NFL Mock Draft: Top 18 Projections
| Pick | Team | Player | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LV Raiders | Fernando Mendoza | QB | Indiana |
| 2 | NY Jets | Dante Moore | QB | Oregon |
| 3 | Arizona Cardinals | Francis Mauigoa | OT | Miami |
| 4 | Tennessee Titans | Rueben Bain Jr. | EDGE | Miami |
| 5 | NY Giants | Carnell Tate | WR | Ohio State |
| 6 | Cleveland Browns | Spencer Fano | OT | Utah |
| 7 | Washington Commanders | David Bailey | EDGE | Texas Tech |
| 8 | New Orleans Saints | Arvell Reese | LB | Ohio State |
| 9 | KC Chiefs | Caleb Downs | S | Ohio State |
| 10 | Cincinnati Bengals | Keldric Faulk | EDGE | Auburn |
| 11 | Miami Dolphins | Ty Simpson | QB | Alabama |
| 12 | Dallas Cowboys | Jeremiyah Love | RB | Notre Dame |
| 13 | LA Rams | Jermod McCoy | CB | Tennessee |
| 14 | Baltimore Ravens | Peter Woods | DT | Clemson |
| 15 | Tampa Bay Bucs | Sonny Styles | LB | Ohio State |
| 16 | NY Jets (via IND) | Jordyn Tyson | WR | Arizona State |
| 17 | Detroit Lions | Cashius Howell | EDGE | Texas A&M |
| 18 | Minnesota Vikings | Mansoor Delane | CB | LSU |
Rising Stocks and Underclassmen Buzz
The Miami Dolphins may have the most volatile situation in the league. With Tua Tagovailoa’s future in South Florida increasingly murky, Mike McDaniel is looking for a successor. Ty Simpson, who recently declared after a 3,500-yard campaign at Alabama, brings the requisite accuracy and SEC pedigree to survive in the AFC East. While he struggled in the SEC Championship against Georgia, his upside remains a top-15 lock.
Defense is the name of the game for the back half of the top 10. The Kansas City Chiefs, rarely in a position to grab elite defensive backs, could see Caleb Downs fall into their lap at #9. Downs, the Jim Thorpe Award winner, is the most polished safety prospect since Kyle Hamilton. His versatility allows Steve Spagnuolo to deploy him as a box defender or a deep-half eraser.
What They Said
“Fernando Mendoza isn’t just a stats leader; he’s a processor. In this league, if you can’t diagnose a disguised blitz in two seconds, you’re toast. He does it in one.” — Anonymous AFC Scouting Director
“We are looking for impact players who change the math on the field. Whether that’s at quarterback or on the edge, the 2026 class has top-heavy blue-chip talent.” — Darren Mougey, Jets General Manager
What’s Next: The Post-Wild Card Shuffle
The draft order for picks 1-18 is now set, but the remaining 14 slots will be determined by the results of this weekend’s matchups. Key games like San Francisco at Philadelphia and Green Bay at Chicago will decide which Super Bowl contenders are forced to pivot toward April. We will update the full 32-team mock draft on Monday morning once the dust settles on the opening round of the playoffs.
