Raiders 3 Round NFL Mock Draft: What Vegas should do if they wanted to address defense directly after drafting Fernando Mendoza
The Raiders need help on defense, too.
The Las Vegas Raiders now have their head coach in Klint Kubiak, the former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator. Now they must put a staff together, one that can start gearing up for free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft.
They have $88 million to spend in free agency, and after that, the Raiders have so many draft picks, too, and some really good ones at that. It’s pretty much written in stone that Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza will be the quarterback that Vegas takes No. 1 overall. But what do they do after drafting Mendoza? They struggled on both sides of the ball, so they will need to address both offense and defense. However, if they wanted to go defense for the two picks after Mendoza, they may be able to get two starters or starting-level players.
NFL Draft analyst Rob Gregson helped me in the latest mock draft I put together, going through that very scenario.
Raiders 2026 NFL Mock Draft: Two defensive picks after Mendoza
Round 2, Pick 36: Keith Abney, Arizona State Sun Devils CB
If you want one corner to eye in Indianapolis, it’s Keith Abney. Right now, the consensus on him is that he’s a second-round pick. When watching his tape, you see a fluid mover with ideal size at 6-0, 190 pounds. However, his tape shows something most corners don’t: a physical presence. He’s dominant in press man, and he’s not afraid to stick his nose in run fits. He allowed the lowest passer rating in the FBS this past season, and he screams dominant, press-man corner.
So what’s the issue? Notice I didn’t mention athleticism or explosion much. If Abney leaves Indianapolis with 4.4 speed and solid jumps, good luck keeping him out of the first round. – Rob Gregson
Round 3, Pick 67: Darrell Jackson Jr., Florida State Seminoles DT
The Raiders need help on the edge, but mostly at defensive tackle. They need to get to the passer, yes, but they also need a space eater in the interior—a guy who can stop the run and plug gaps. At the same time, you don’t want a DT who can only do that and is a liability in other areas. Jackson has the potential to be great in both areas. The 6’5, 335-pound player has six sacks and 35 hurries in the last two seasons. This past year, his numbers were down due to being on a very bad defense.
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