Mudski57'S MOCK DRAFT

Mudski57'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON JAN 5, 2026

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Mock drafts from Mudski57

Mudski57-18

  • Mudski57 DRAFTING FOR THE
    Raiders
Draft Selections
Fernando Mendoza Head Shot
PICK: 2 RND: 1 (LV)
Fernando Mendoza
QB Indiana
Caleb Downs Head Shot
PICK: 16 RND: 1 (LV)
Caleb Downs
S Ohio State
Kayden McDonald Head Shot
PICK: 36 RND: 2 (LV)
Kayden McDonald
DL Ohio State
Connor Lew Head Shot
PICK: 67 RND: 3 (LV)
Connor Lew
C Auburn
Julian Neal Head Shot
PICK: 102 RND: 4 (LV)
Julian Neal
CB Arkansas
D'Angelo Ponds Head Shot
PICK: 117 RND: 4 (LV)
D'Angelo Ponds
CB Indiana
Chase Bisontis Head Shot
PICK: 134 RND: 4 (LV)
Chase Bisontis
OG Texas A&M
Lander Barton Head Shot
PICK: 174 RND: 5 (LV)
Lander Barton
LB Utah
Max Iheanachor Head Shot
PICK: 182 RND: 6 (LV)
Max Iheanachor
OT Arizona State
Davison Igbinosun Head Shot
PICK: 185 RND: 6 (LV)
Davison Igbinosun
CB Ohio State
Cam Calhoun Head Shot
PICK: 219 RND: 7 (LV)
Cam Calhoun
CB Alabama
Draft Picks Received
Fernando Mendoza Head Shot
PICK: 2 RND: 1 (NYJ)
Fernando Mendoza
QB Indiana
Caleb Downs Head Shot
PICK: 16 RND: 1 (NYJ)
Caleb Downs
S Ohio State
Draft Picks Traded
Rueben Bain Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 1 RND: 1 (NYJ)
Rueben Bain Jr.
DE-EDGE Miami
Draft Grade — Raiders
Overall B+
ValueB NeedB TradesA+ FutureB-
The Raiders answered their biggest question with Mendoza. Grade: B+.

They finally answered the question that shadows every other one. Fernando Mendoza is the Raiders' quarterback, full stop. They moved the roster forward and banked a B+ for it.

The trade ledger is the best part of the whole weekend. On value alone, Neal makes the weekend a net positive.

They covered a lot of ground and still skipped edge rusher, which is a strange place to end up. Reaching for Barton left real value on the table behind him.

All told, a draft that does its job without fuss, and there is real value in that.

Pick Analysis
Pick2 Rnd1 Fernando Mendoza
In the 2nd overall pick they get a passer to set the clock by at fair value. A real need, handled.
Pick16 Rnd1 Caleb Downs
In pick 16 they get a two-high chess piece at a price that makes it sweeter. Need was not the driver here.
Pick36 Rnd2 Kayden McDonald
A tidy little value on Kayden McDonald in the Round 2 slot, a step better than break-even. The roster fit checks out.
Pick67 Rnd3 Connor Lew
Connor Lew at the 67th pick is money in the bank, a offensive lineman taken below his worth. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Pick102 Rnd4 Julian Neal
Julian Neal in Round 4, Pick 2 is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Pick117 Rnd4 D'Angelo Ponds
Fair-plus on D'Angelo Ponds, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Pick134 Rnd4 Chase Bisontis
They did well to land Chase Bisontis in pick No. 134, just ahead of his grade. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Pick174 Rnd5 Lander Barton
This one needs a full-page explanation: Lander Barton in No. 174, miles early. A minor itch, scratched.
Pick182 Rnd6 Max Iheanachor
Max Iheanachor in pick 182 is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Pick185 Rnd6 Davison Igbinosun
A slide stopped in pick No. 185, with Davison Igbinosun worth more than the price. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Pick219 Rnd7 Cam Calhoun
Cam Calhoun at the 219th overall pick is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.