Overview
- The Raiders control the No. 1 overall selection if they lose to the Chiefs in Week 18 on January 4 at Allegiant Stadium.
- ESPN’s Brooke Pryor reported that ownership, including Tom Brady, told coaches and players they prefer securing the top pick.
- Las Vegas shut down Maxx Crosby, Brock Bowers, and Jeremy Chinn for the final games, and Crosby later said he is “doing phenomenal” and focused on teammates.
- Most projections have the Raiders using the pick on a quarterback, with Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza widely viewed as the frontrunner; CBS’s Pete Prisco predicted they will land him.
- The Athletic advanced Oregon’s Dante Moore as a higher-upside alternative in a new mock draft, though his entry into the 2026 draft remains uncertain.