2026 NFL Draft grades for every first-round pick: How did Fernando Mendoza do?
Yahoo Sports draft expert Charles McDonald is grading every pick as it happens on Thursday night.
Just as expected, the Las Vegas Raiders selected Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night. (L. E.
Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) Las Vegas Review-Journal via Getty Images Yahoo Sports NFL draft analyst Charles McDonald is grading every pick of Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft as the selections are made. Here's how he rated teams in the 2025 draft if you're scoring at home. 1.
Las Vegas Raiders : Fernando Mendoza , QB, Indiana Grade: B+ The Raiders got their franchise quarterback here following the rocket ship level ascension of Mendoza. They’re in store for yet another rebuild and now have a chance to start that process with a new quarterback. This was the only sensible pick at the top of the draft, and Mendoza is good enough to be the first pick.
Now they can focus on trying to get back into the AFC West race with new head coach Klint Kubiak and their new quarterback. Follow the NFL Draft live with breaking news, pick-by-pick grades, analysis 2. New York Jets : David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech Grade: C- The Jets got their pass rusher in this class, but he’s not a complete player like Arvell Reese in terms of physicality and run defense.