Hawkeye66'S MOCK DRAFT
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Hawkeye66'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON APR 23, 2026

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Mock drafts from Hawkeye66

Raider trade 2

  • Hawkeye66 DRAFTING FOR THE
    Raiders
Draft Selections
Fernando Mendoza Head Shot
PICK: 1 RND: 1 (LV)
Fernando Mendoza
QB Indiana
Gennings Dunker Head Shot
PICK: 56 RND: 2 (LV)
Gennings Dunker
OG Iowa
Jacob Rodriguez Head Shot
PICK: 67 RND: 3 (LV)
Jacob Rodriguez
LB Texas Tech
Christen Miller Head Shot
PICK: 81 RND: 3 (LV)
Christen Miller
DL Georgia
Malik Muhammad Head Shot
PICK: 102 RND: 4 (LV)
Malik Muhammad
CB Texas
Harold Perkins Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 117 RND: 4 (LV)
Harold Perkins Jr.
LB LSU
Bishop Fitzgerald Head Shot
PICK: 124 RND: 4 (LV)
Bishop Fitzgerald
S USC
VJ Payne Head Shot
PICK: 134 RND: 4 (LV)
VJ Payne
S Kansas State
Caleb Douglas Head Shot
PICK: 175 RND: 5 (LV)
Caleb Douglas
WR Texas Tech
Aamil Wagner Head Shot
PICK: 185 RND: 6 (LV)
Aamil Wagner
OT Notre Dame
Kaden Wetjen Head Shot
PICK: 208 RND: 6 (LV)
Kaden Wetjen
WR Iowa
Eric McAlister Head Shot
PICK: 219 RND: 7 (LV)
Eric McAlister
WR TCU
Draft Picks Received
Gennings Dunker Head Shot
PICK: 56 RND: 2 (JAX)
Gennings Dunker
OG Iowa
Christen Miller Head Shot
PICK: 81 RND: 3 (JAX)
Christen Miller
DL Georgia
Bishop Fitzgerald Head Shot
PICK: 124 RND: 4 (JAX)
Bishop Fitzgerald
S USC
Draft Picks Traded
Omar Cooper Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 36 RND: 2 (JAX)
Omar Cooper Jr.
WR Indiana
Draft Grade — Raiders
Overall B-
ValueB- NeedB TradesB- FutureB-
Mendoza is the Raiders' new face under center. Grade: B-.

Call it a hunch or call it a gamble, but the Raiders spent the 134th overall pick on VJ Payne, a name most had 67 spots down the list.

Everything downstream of Fernando Mendoza depends on Fernando Mendoza, and the building knows it. With edge rusher, running back and other spots unsolved, spending premium capital on linebacker is the choice that costs them. That Miller pick is the receipt they will wave around later.

For all the activity, edge rusher went untouched, which is hard to explain.

All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but edge rusher.

Pick Analysis
Pick1 Rnd1 Fernando Mendoza
In No. 1 they get a long-term answer under center at fair value. A clean fit for the roster.
Pick56 Rnd2 Gennings Dunker
Gennings Dunker at Round 2, Pick 24 nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick67 Rnd3 Jacob Rodriguez
Jacob Rodriguez at the 67th overall pick is money in the bank, a linebacker taken below his worth. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
Pick81 Rnd3 Christen Miller
Taking Christen Miller in pick No. 81 is close to grand larceny; an interior defensive lineman that good had no business lasting this long. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Pick102 Rnd4 Malik Muhammad
Malik Muhammad in the Round 4 slot is fair value, right on his grade. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick117 Rnd4 Harold Perkins Jr.
They bypassed pressing needs at edge rusher, running back and other spots to take Harold Perkins Jr., a linebacker that was not the priority.
Pick124 Rnd4 Bishop Fitzgerald
A straight-up fair deal on Bishop Fitzgerald at the 124th pick, value and slot in agreement. It adds depth where they could use a little.
Pick134 Rnd4 VJ Payne
The needs board was loud and they turned it down, spending Round 4, Pick 34 on VJ Payne with edge rusher, running back and other spots unsolved.
Pick175 Rnd5 Caleb Douglas
They let Caleb Douglas come to them and pounced at the Round 5 slot. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Pick185 Rnd6 Aamil Wagner
Fair-plus on Aamil Wagner, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Pick208 Rnd6 Kaden Wetjen
They talked themselves into Kaden Wetjen at pick 208, and the board did not agree. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Pick219 Rnd7 Eric McAlister
A tidy bit of business in the 219th overall pick, where Eric McAlister graded well above the range. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.