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Las Vegas Raiders clinch No. 1 overall pick in 2026 NFL Draft

Brian Jones Profile Picby: Brian Jones01/04/26brianjones_93

The Las Vegas Raiders are officially on the clock, as they have clinched the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. This was made possible when the New York Giants defeated the Dallas Cowboys in the regular-season finale on Sunday. That gave the Giants a 4-13 overall record, and the Raiders currently sit at 2-14 ahead of their final game of the season against the Kansas City Chiefs.

One of the reasons the Raiders have only won two games this year is quarterback play, as Geno Smith finished the season with an 84.7 passer rating and an NFL-leading 17 interceptions. Last week, Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports released his latest mock draft and predicted that the Raiders would select Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 overall.

“Mendoza is a poised, accurate passer who has plus arm talent, consistently delivering catchable balls on time and in rhythm and excelling on layered second-level routes,” Wilson said about Mendoza. “He shows NFL-level field vision and coverage recognition, consistently ripping throws with anticipation. While not a true creator, Mendoza navigates collapsing pockets effectively and can make accurate off-platform throws, showing a calm, efficient style reminiscent of Jared Goff.”

More on the Raiders and the 2026 NFL Draft

It’s likely the Raiders will quarterback with their top pick, but it’s also likely they will have a new head coach. Pete Carroll was hired to be the head man in Las Vegas during the offseason, but it’s been reported that Carroll will not be with the team next years.

Last week, Carroll spoke to reporters about the Raiders’ mindset heading into the finale. “I’d like to have fun playing football, practice with a lot of energy, get ready for a game. We’re playing Kansas City,” Carroll said. “They won the freaking division for 10 years straight or whatever it is. It’ll be fun to play them. Fun to go against Andy [Reid], to me. And so, there’s no reason for us to think about anything other than playing ball. From the locker room, that’s what I said to them afterward, that we got one week to do something special. Let’s make sure that we do everything we can to create that, and we’ll see what happens.”

The last time the Raiders selected No. 1 overall was in 2007, when they selected quarterback JaMarcus Russell. The 2026 NFL Draft will take place April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.