Having the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft is a great thing for the Las Vegas Raiders, who badly need a quarterback like Fernando Mendoza. But with so many other needs to address and countless things set to happen between their first two picks, it has been impossible to comb through all the options.
Any number of things could happen on the first night of the event and in the first few picks before the Raiders get back on the clock on Day 2. Fans know, however, that Las Vegas should be focusing on a few position groups in particular to find a starter or trading back for even more draft capital.
With the Raiders seemingly targeting a defensive tackle and wide receiver in Rounds 2 and 3, based on their list of visits and known interests, still no consensus has been reached on what direction Las Vegas will go after inevitably taking Mendoza at the top of the board. Let's look at a few mock drafts.
Las Vegas Raiders continue to have no clear direction on Day 2 in latest expert mock drafts
ESPN's expert draft panel of Mel Kiper Jr., Matt Miller, Field Yates and Jordan Reid released its latest mock draft late last week. After making the obvious choice of Mendoza at No. 1, they went with a defensive tackle and wide receiver combo of Georgia's Christen Miller and UConn's Skyler Bell.
"The Raiders will move to more of a 3-4 defense under new coordinator Rob Leonard, which will require disciplined and sturdy defensive linemen for the interior. Miller is exactly that," Yates wrote.
"Bell has plenty of alignment versatility and showcases the consistent hands to be a reliable contributor early in his career. Fernando Mendoza will need more playmakers," Reid noted.
NFL.com's Chad Reuter then released his latest five-round mock draft. At No. 36, he had Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu, a likely first-rounder, falling to Las Vegas before snatching up LSU free safety AJ Haulcy in Round 3.
In this exercise, the Raiders don't land a wideout until Louisville's Chris Bell at No. 102 and don't grab a defensive tackle until Round 5 with Texas A&M's Tyler Onyedim. At No. 117, they took Notre Dame guard Billy Schrauth, and Washington running back Jonah Coleman comes via the No. 134 selection.
CBS Sports' Josh Edwards also released a seven-round mock draft late last week, and once again, Las Vegas heads in a different direction. In Round 2, they took Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller, and in Round 3, they took Louisville's Bell again.
Edwards then had the Raiders take South Carolina defensive back Jalon Kilgore at No. 102, Texas A&M cornerback Will Lee III at No. 117, and Penn State defensive tackle Zane Durant to finish up Round 4. He then grabbed a backup running back and offensive line, safety and linebacker depth.
Even though everyone knows that Las Vegas has some especially glaring holes on the roster, nobody can agree on exactly what the biggest need is, when the best time to address said problem is, and which player actually provides a solution to the Raiders' very obvious issues.
But this is part of the fun of mock draft season. So much excitement is swirling around the Silver and Black, and so many promising players are set to be available later this month. It'll be easy for Raider Nation to talk itself into any combination of prospects that Las Vegas ends up selecting.
And it's probably a good thing that nobody knows what the Raiders' front office will do. It keeps the league guessing.