Let's call a spade a spade: The Las Vegas Raiders will take Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. No amount of pundits doubting his skill set or the Raiders' ability to foster a nourishing environment for him in the coming months will change that.
The mystery for Las Vegas in April then becomes what they do after selecting Mendoza. Obviously, this will also hinge on what the team accomplishes during free agency, but the Raiders have so many holes that they'll need to find Day 1 impact players in the middle rounds of the event, no matter what.
While every mock draft is different, and it is difficult to link players to Las Vegas as "scheme fits," considering their staff is chock full of first-timers, all the experts seem to be coming to a consensus on one thing: After Mendoza, the Raiders will fortify the defense in Rounds 2 and 3 of the draft.
Every 2026 NFL mock draft has Raiders loading up on defense on Day 2
In Bleacher Report's latest mock draft, courtesy of Brent Sobleski, Las Vegas took Mendoza in Round 1 before adding a game-changing defensive tackle and a solid linebacker prospect with the No. 36 and 67 picks, respectively:
36. Las Vegas Raiders: DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
67. Las Vegas Raiders: LB Deontae Lawson, Alabama
FanSided.com's Cody Williams released his post-combine mock draft as well, and after Mendoza, he had the Raiders adding two other defenders, but two completely different ones at two other positions.
36. Las Vegas Raiders: EDGE Cashius Howell (Texas A&M)
67. Las Vegas Raiders: CB Chandler Rivers (Duke)
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The Athletic's Dane Brugler released a mock draft on Wednesday. And although he did not make predictions beyond the second round, he followed the same line of reasoning, with Las Vegas adding a defender at No. 36 after taking Mendoza.
36. Las Vegas Raiders: Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
ESPN's Jordan Reid created his latest mock draft on Wednesday as well, and in a not-so-shocking choice, he had the Raiders taking Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick, followed by a defensive tackle early in Round 2.
36. Las Vegas Raiders: Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech
"The Raiders are switching to a 3-4 defense next season and need a centerpiece on their front," Reid wrote. "Hunter is a massive presence in the middle (6-4, 318 pounds) and a player you can build a culture around."
It should be noted that, among the Raiders' reported visits during the 2026 NFL combine, are Hunter, Indiana cornerback D'Angelo Ponds and South Carolina cornerback Brandon Cisse. Each of these three players has a serious chance of going early on Day 2, in keeping with the theme.
Fans don't have a crystal ball, so they cannot predict who will even be available at picks No. 36 and No. 67, let alone know who the Raiders will take. But the consensus seems to be that, after cinching up the quarterback position, Las Vegas needs to dial in on adding young defensive talent.