Andrew Buller-Russ
At this point, anything other than the Las Vegas Raiders making Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft would be a major surprise. Sure, there’s always a slim chance Raiders general manager John Spytek is blown away with a trade offer between now and when Las Vegas is on the clock on April 23.
Yet, even then, it’s not like the Raiders are ready to roll with Kirk Cousins and a lesser QB prospect for 2026 rather than selecting their perceived franchise solution with Mendoza. That offer would have to be incredible.
Yet, one concern that still exists, even after landing seemingly the perfect bridge mentor for Mendoza in Cousins, is whether the Raiders have a strong enough supporting cast for their young QB to thrive in. That remains to be seen.
However, with a total of 10 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Raiders will have plenty of opportunities to strengthen their roster after adding Mendoza in the first round. But some skeptics still wonder if Las Vegas needs to invest more into a defense that ranked 25th in points allowed last season.
When ESPN’s Ryan McFadden and Matt Miller analyzed what they’ve heard about the Raiders’ draft plans, they both agreed that if wide receiver Denzel Boston is still available when Las Vegas is on the clock in the second round with pick No. 36, that he’s likely the pick.
“The best strategy with the remaining nine picks would be bolstering Mendoza’s support system, McFadden wrote. “Even though the Raiders took two wide receivers in last year’s draft (Dont’e Thornton Jr. and Jack Bech), it wouldn’t be surprising for them to grab another pass catcher, especially if Denzel Boston (Washington) falls to pick No. 36. Reuniting Mendoza with Elijah Sarratt (Indiana) would also be ideal, and a running back on Day 3 could be a possibility.”
Yet, Miller’s analysis was a bit different. While he acknowledged that Boston has been frequently linked to the Raiders, he suggested Las Vegas could also prioritize getting a new right tackle instead. In other words, it depends on how the draft board falls.
“Pick No. 1 won’t be a surprise, but where the Raiders go at No. 36 is a question a lot of NFL decision-makers are pondering,” Miller wrote. “Based on the intel I’ve gathered, it’ll be a pick to support Mendoza. That might be a wide receiver or a right tackle, depending on who’s available. Like Ryan mentioned, Boston is a receiver who has been connected to the team.”
Of course, there’s no guarantee that Boston, who’s widely viewed as a prospect who could get drafted late in the first round, will still be available when the Raiders are on the clock again. But it’s not hard to see how the 6-foot-4 receiver out of Washington could be a good fit to help boost the Raiders’ passing attack.
While the Raiders drafted two young receivers in Thornton and Bech last offseason, there’s still more work to be done. Las Vegas needs another reliable playmaker who can help pull attention away from Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty, and Boston could provide some immediate relief.
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