With less than two months before the 2026 NFL Draft, it's time to release OutKick's first mock draft of the year!
The Raiders have tried to fill the Derek Carr-sized void at quarterback since they let the veteran quarterback walk after the 2022 NFL season. Rather than invest in the position through a high pick in the draft, the team has tried to patch the hole with several veterans (including Jimmy Garoppolo, Gardner Minshew, Geno Smith) and 2023 fourth-round pick Aidan O'Connell. None of them worked.
Mendoza wasn't highly recruited out of high school, and it's likely almost no one knew who he was until this past season, when he led Indiana to a historic National Championship victory and became the school's first Heisman winner. He's smart, athletic and he's a winner. This is a no-brainer for Vegas.
Obviously, the Jets need a quarterback, but it just doesn't make sense to take one at No. 2 with Mendoza off the board. New York would be wise to try and trade out of this spot, but the Jets might not find a dance partner. If they stay here, it makes the most sense to give head coach Aaron Glenn, a defensive-minded coach, a pass rusher who can disrupt the game. New York had the second-fewest sacks in the NFL last year and didn't force a single interception (which is often a rebuke of the pass rush more than it is of the secondary).
The Cardinals are another team that needs a quarterback, with the franchise set tomove on from Kyler Murray. But in the same vein as the Jets, that guy doesn't exist at the top of the board and the Cardinals also desperately need to improve on their awful pass rush (tied for third-fewest sacks in the NFL).
The Titans need a lot of help on both sides of the ball, but it's never a bad idea to get a potential shutdown corner. The team hired Robert Saleh as its new head coach and one thing the Titans expect is that the defensive-minded coach will improve a shaky unit from last season.
The Rams are big fans of trading away draft picks (see: Trent McDuffie), so it makes sense that the year they finally have TWO first-round picks, they would trade one of them and dump off a few selections in later rounds to maximize the roster for next season, which is why we're projecting another trade for Los Angeles.
Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. sacks Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza during the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium.
(Kim Klement Neitzel/Imagn Images)
Matthew Stafford isn't getting any younger, so the team has to build right now for a shot at another Super Bowl win. As a team that just reached the NFC Championship, Los Angeles doesn't have a ton of holes in its roster, but the defense allowed 31 points and nearly 400 yards in the loss to Seattle.
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