The Raiders already have their quarterback of the future in Fernando Mendoza, but the bigger prize could be waiting a year down the road.
With Las Vegas landing the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft and not being viewed as a contender this season, there’s at least a path to another premium selection next year. That’s where Jeremiah Smith enters the picture, and for Raiders fans, the idea is easy to dream on.
As one evaluation put it, “Smith has the potential to be an elite NFL wideout right out of the gates. In fact, he has actually shown even more high-end talent in college than players like Justin Jefferson and Ja'Marr Chase, who came into the league and dominated right away. If he's here at six, the Raiders will run his name to the podium,” wrote Crean.
Landing Smith at No. 6 would be a massive win for Las Vegas. Plenty of insiders already see him as the top player in the 2027 class and one of the best talents in college football right now.
Smith first broke through as a freshman two years ago at Ohio State, when he helped push the Buckeyes to the national title. One of the defining moments of that run came when he made the game-sealing catch against Notre Dame to clinch the championship.
There was even talk that, if he had been eligible, Smith would have been a high first-round pick after that freshman season. That kind of buzz makes it hard to imagine his stock doing anything but staying sky-high headed into 2027.
If the Raiders do manage to pair Smith with Mendoza, they’d be giving their young quarterback an elite weapon just as he enters his second season.
In Other News...
Raiders Just Got A Real Chance To Address A WR Concern
The receiver market got a little more interesting for Las Vegas this week when Cleveland moved on from Cedric Tillman, a former third-round pick who never quite found steady footing with the Browns. Tillman has flashed enough to keep teams interested, with 71 catches, 833 yards and five touchdowns over three seasons, but injuries and inconsistent playing time have kept him from turning that draft pedigree into a larger role.
For the Raiders, the timing matters. They have priority to claim him on waivers, which gives them a clean chance to add a young wideout without having to wait around for the open market to sort itself out. Whether they actually pounce is the question, but after months of uncertainty around the receiver room, this is the kind of low-cost opportunity teams like Las Vegas can use to address a need before it becomes a bigger problem. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Fans May Need More Patience With Fernando Mendoza
The Raiders closed their 2026 preseason at Allegiant Stadium against the 49ers, and the night offered another reminder that rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza is still very much in the learning phase. Klint Kubiak started Kirk Cousins, but Mendoza still got a meaningful stretch of snaps as the staff tried to keep feeding him experience before the games start counting.
Mendozas line was uneven, with 5 completions on 9 attempts for 38 yards, one interception and two sacks. For Las Vegas, the bigger takeaway may be less about the stat sheet than the process, because the rookie is being asked to grow fast while the Raiders sort through how much patience his development will require. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Could Cash In On Two Roster Decisions Fans Arent Expecting
With roster cutdowns approaching, the Raiders are staring at a couple of decisions that could ripple beyond the depth chart. Malcolm Koonce and Isaiah Pola-Mao both have enough value to draw interest, and in a league where teams are always hunting for usable defenders, either player could become part of a move that helps Las Vegas reshape the back end of the roster.
Pola-Maos path looks especially tricky if the Raiders believe younger options have already pushed ahead of him, because moving him would also open up some salary-cap breathing room. Koonce presents a different kind of question: even as a useful rotational edge player, he could be moved if Las Vegas feels good about its other pass rushers and wants the flexibility that comes with clearing space before the final roster is set. [Read more 🡒]