A little less than one month out from the 2026 NFL draft, and the worst-kept secret in the world is the Las Vegas Raiders’ plan to take Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick.
Mendoza, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and national champion, will be stepping into one of the worst situations in the NFL.
Vegas had the worst offense in the NFL last season, averaging just 245.2 yards and 14.2 points per game. And the team really lacks true playmakers outside of tight end Brock Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty, who showed promise as a rookie rushing for 975 yards and five touchdowns.
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But the Raiders lack a real threat in the passing game.
Two of Vegas’ top receivers from last season — Ja’Kobi Meyers (Jacksonville Jaguars) and Tyler Lockett (free agent) — are no longer with the team, leaving Tre Tucker (57 catches, 696 yards, five touchdowns) and Jack Bech (20 catches, 224 yards) as the top returning WRs.
ESPN’s Matt Miller believes the Raiders need to address the lack of weapons for Mendoza early in the 2026 draft, which is why he has the team picking Washington receiver Denzel Boston in the second round in his latest mock draft.
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“Boston slips through the cracks in this mock draft due to team needs, but he would be a true WR1 in Las Vegas and a perfect pairing with Mendoza,” Miller stated. “The 6-foot-4, 212-pound Boston caught 11 touchdown passes in 2025 and can win the 50-50 balls that Mendoza excelled with at Indiana.”
A third-team All-Big Ten selection, Boston is one of the more physically imposing pass-catchers in the draft class.
The 22-year-old caught 62 passes for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns at Washington last season, and he finished his Huskies career with 132 receptions, 1,781 yards, and 20 touchdowns in four years (two as a starter).