New Headline: "Raiders' Promising Star Joins Top-10 Draft Class: Mel Kiper Jr. Predicts $5M Deal for Kessler!
Vegas has a clear path.
Mel Kiper Jr. reveals Raiders' plans for No. 1 pick in 2026 NFL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News .
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The Las Vegas Raiders are in a position to shock everyone with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, though.
That's likely not the path they'll take, though. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. , the legendary draft analyst, is on board with just about everyone else.
Kiper unveiled his newest mock draft on Tuesday, and he's got the Raiders taking Fernando Mendoza, just as everyone assumes. Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy and the national championship for Indiana this past college football season. In a draft devoid of other clear top-notch QBs, Mendoza is worthy of the top pick, and the Raiders definitely need a quarterback.