It has been a long road, but the 2026 NFL Draft is now just under a week away. So much has changed that it has even kept the Las Vegas Raiders, holders of the No. 1 pick, on their toes throughout the pre-draft process. The weeks leading up to the event are crazy, but draft night still takes the cake.
While it is hard to sort through what is genuine intel and what is meant as misdirection, we've created our final mock draft, hopefully, until the end of next year. I've written nearly 20 of these since partway through the 2025 NFL season; I don't want to fire up the simulator halfway through 2026 again.
But given all the information that we have, from who the Raiders have met with, to who other teams like in certain ranges, to general manager tendencies, we took one last stab at a 7-round mock draft. It is our best guess yet as to what John Spytek will do, though there is no telling what'll transpire.
Final Las Vegas Raiders 2026 NFL mock draft
1.01 - Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
Mendoza may not be there for the festivities in Pittsburgh, but he'll still be the main event. The Raiders should turn this card in less than 60 seconds after the draft begins and let the whole world know that there was zero hesitation. He is big, tough, accurate, mobile, strong, smart, a great leader, a high character guy, and an insatiable worker. What else could you want in a franchise quarterback?
2.36 - Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
Boston continues to fall down draft boards, and I continue to wonder why. He is a massive player at 6-foot-4 and 212 pounds, and he would immediately fill that "X" receiver void in Las Vegas. Washington is athletic, quick, a sharp route-runner, utilizes his massive frame and is a touchdown magnet with loads of Big Ten production. Boston isn't a speedster, but he is quite literally everything else.
*****TRADE WITH MINNESOTA VIKINGS*****
3.67 and 5.175 for 3.82 and 3.97
We ran this trade through every trade calculator and mock draft simulator we could find, and it went through every time. Minnesota has a lot fewer holes to fill than Las Vegas, so they could easily be in the camp of moving up to get one of "their guys" while the Raiders continue to build out the roster.
3.82 - Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh
Louis is about average size for an NFL linebacker, but he had great production and is an elite athlete. His Senior Bowl outing was talked about for weeks, as he wreaked havoc in every facet of the game. Louis is tremendous in coverage and gets takeaways, screams downhill for tackles for loss, and has great instincts and play diagnosis skills. He is also versatile. A defensive coordinator's dream.
3.97 - Jalon Kilgore, DB, South Carolina
Kilgore is a fascinating player, and he is one of the youngest prospects in the draft, which correlates to NFL success. He is a big and physical slot corner who has the size to hang with tight ends and the speed to run with wideouts. Kilgore is a freak athlete, a great tackler, a takeaway machine, and can even stretch back and play free safety. He has production, traits, and a high ceiling. Kilgore does it all.
4.102 - Bud Clark, SAF, TCU
Clark is a true ballhawk at free safety, and he could start on Day 1 for Las Vegas. He is a good athlete and has a good frame, and while nothing sticks out as "elite," Clark simply knows how to play the position. Being an older prospect should flatten his NFL learning curve, and although he gambles at times, Clark almost always wins. Plus, he is tough and an exceptional tackler who helps vs. the run.
4.117 - Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia
Everette is a lot more polished and NFL-ready than folks give him credit for. He is tall, long and strong with tremendous speed and physicality. Everette could use his speed a bit more, and he needs to be a bit less grabby, but he is agile and can jump routes, leading to great ball production. He also has a knack for coming through in big moments, which is something you can't quantify.
4.134 - Chris McClellan, DT, Mizzou
McClellan would be a great player to add to the Raiders' defensive interior. He is tall and long with humongous hands and produced at a high level in college. McClellan can also be moved around a lot on the defensive line, confusing opponents. He's not the best athlete and needs to refine his punch technique and footwork, but McClellan has all the tools and can be special with the right coaching.
6.185 - Travis Burke, OT, Memphis
Burke is flying up draft boards, and although he was an unheralded UDFA prospect a few weeks ago, by Thursday, he may not even be available at No. 185. He is an astonishing 6-foot-9 and 325 pounds with 34 and 1/4-inch arms and great athleticism, not just for his size, but for any offensive tackle. Burke is smart and uses his hands well, and he moves well in the run game, even if he's still a bit raw.
6.208 - Mason Reiger, EDGE, Wisconsin
Reiger had a 9.63 RAS score to pair with an impressive physical profile at 6-foot-5 and 251 pounds. He had solid production in the Big Ten and is a twitchy edge defender with a never-give-up mentality. Reiger needs to gain weight and develop more counters, but you can't teach his size and effort, and he's already found some success. Imagine his growth when he gets in a room with Maxx Crosby.
7.219 - J'Mari Taylor, RB, Virginia
Although just 5-foot-10 and 199 pounds, Taylor runs like he is 230. His power and contact balance, especially for his frame, are impressive. He seamlessly transitioned to Power 4 football and can do so again in the NFL. Taylor is a patient runner who can also make an impact in the receiving game. He's not necessarily smooth, but Taylor is effective and runs with a high motor and isn't scared to get hit.
Add us as a preferred source on Google