The Las Vegas Raiders built a formidable offense around future QB Fernando Mendoza in a recent seven-round mock draft by ESPN.
By now, it's widely expected that Indiana Hoosiers quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza will be the first overall choice in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night in Pittsburgh.
That means the Raiders have their QB of the future, although veteran Kirk Cousins could be the starter when Week 1 begins in September.
It has been the assumption since the NFL season ended, and Mendoza did nothing but assure that during the pre-draft process.
After that, it remains to be seen what the Raiders do, but surrounding Mendoza with young talent is the wisest route.
ESPN's Jordan Reid had a new seven-round mock draft, and here's a rundown of the selections.
Round 1, No. 1 overall: Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza
No surprise, and nothing really needs to be said. This is an obvious choice.
Round 2, No. 36 overall: Utah OT Caleb Lomu
It would've been nice to see the Raiders have another first-round pick, and they almost did before the Baltimore Ravens backed out of the Maxx Crosby trade.
Pairing Mendoza with Indiana WR Omar Cooper is an intriguing thought, but he is long gone before Round 2. So, Reid had some protection for Mendoza, which is very smart.
"The Raiders need to continue to stack talent, and Lomu is the best player available here. He also fills a need, as DJ Glaze struggled last season and second-year man Charles Grant is still developing. Lomu can grow with Fernando Mendoza and help keep him upright," Reid wrote.
Round 3, No. 67 overall: Louisville WR Chris Bell
Getting a first-round talent in Round 3 is a home run, and that's exactly the case with Bell. If it weren't for a torn ACL, Bell would undoubtedly be a Round 1 pick.
"Bell has been commonly compared to A.J. Brown and would be off the board by now if he hadn't tore his ACL in November. The Raiders are in the early stages of their roster rebuild and can afford to wait on Bell's recovery," Reid wrote.
Round 4, No. 102 overall: Arizona safety Genesis Smith
The Raiders address the defensive side of the ball for the first time, and Smith is somebody who should see plenty of playing time from Week 1.
Round 4, No. 117 overall: USC WR Ja'Kobi Lane
Makai Lemon commanded all of the attention at USC, but Lane is also a talented player. The Raiders need pass-catchers besides Brock Bowers, so why not double-dip on young WRs to give Mendoza some options?
Round 4, No. 134 overall: Nebraska RB Emmett Johnson
The Raiders have Ashton Jeanty, but besides him, the RB room is pretty disappointing.
Round 5, No. 175 overall: Texas Tech DT Skyler Gill-Howard
Round 6, No. 185 overall: Toledo CB Avery Smith
Round 6, No. 208 overall: Utah edge Logan Fano
The Raiders land three defensive players in the later rounds, all of whom are in areas where they could use depth.
Round 7, No. 219 overall: Michigan kicker Dominic Zvada
A kicker in the final round? Longtime kicker Daniel Carlson is out of Las Vegas, and veteran Matt Gay is in town, so why not add some competition?