Welcome back to The MMQB newsletter. NFL owners meetings are underway, and The MMQB will cover all the happenings from Phoenix, so be sure to stay tuned throughout the week. But before we get to the annual league meeting, we take a look at the upcoming draft. Now, with the draft just over three weeks away, insiders are zeroing in on the top prospects, and prognosticators are solidifying their big boards. Gilberto Manzano listed the draft needs for every AFC and NFC team, while Daniel Flick curated his post-free agency mock draft. Bryan Fischer handicapped what rounds quarterbacks might be selected in the draft. Stepping away from the draft for a moment, Conor Orr wrote about why a Myles Garrett trade could make sense—even if it's unlikely—and possible suitors. We start first, though, with Albert Breer's takeaways, which include insight into the Raiders' research on the likely No. 1 pick, Fernando Mendoza. |
Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images |
By Albert Breer Everything's been pretty quiet on the Raiders and how they'll spend the No. 1 pick. That's for good reason. Most people assume that it's a foregone conclusion that they'll select Indiana's Heisman Trophy–winning national champion Fernando Mendoza. And I certainly wouldn't dispute the idea that his wait on April 23 to determine his next football destination will be very, very short (as in less than 10 minutes). But I also wouldn't mistake that lack of buzz for any lack of work done. Because while Mendoza will almost certainly be a Raider, this hasn't been some coronation. What it has been, with three weeks and three days to go until draft day, is a deep and thorough vetting, and one that a bunch of other quarterbacks have been a part of over the past six months, too. With his play in the fall and through January, Mendoza has earned his spot atop the general public's hypothetical 2026 draft board. With what's happened since, he's in the process of working to confirm his place atop the Raiders' actual draft board. So to kick off the column this morning, here's a look at how he's gotten there: |
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By Conor Orr Even after the possibly suspicious restructure of Myles Garrett's contract this week, which essentially defers option payments closer to the start of the regular season, creating the space to either spend more money in the interim or trade Garrett outright, it would be difficult to imagine the Browns dealing one of the greatest pass rushers in NFL history. In the Andrew Berry era (formerly the Berry and Paul Depodesta era), the Browns have been best known for a series of intellectual administrative parlor tricks; the kind of wheeling and dealing that impresses folks who spend all day scrolling WallStreetBets on Reddit and not the ones who are dazzled by, you know, actually winning football games or putting an entertaining product on the field. So it wouldn't be a surprise that Cleveland simultaneously altered the terms of Garrett's deal while at the same time asking the NFL to vote on a proposal that would allow clubs to trade five years' worth of draft picks. It would be a surprise if this was part of some grand plan to transform the franchise. Most likely, it is a move to modernize the structure of Garrett's deal. Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap noted that this contract structure was pioneered by Eagles GM Howie Roseman's front office because it allows for the "lowest possible cap charge for the player but at the same time still hold the rights to send that money to another team via trade or potentially escape things entirely [if] a guarantee void occurs for any reason." Berry's brother, Adam, is the Eagles' vice president, and the team's head of football operations and strategy. I'd like to think of this move like a bunch of tax professionals sizing up their returns at the big convention and high-fiving over the discovery of the same loophole (that's how tax stuff works, right?). |
Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images |
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By Gilberto Manzano Spoiler alert: No team in the NFC got a failing grade for the moves it made in the first two weeks of free agency. But a few teams gave me plenty to think about when it came to handing out an F (just not as much as the Dolphins on the AFC side). Now that we're over two weeks removed from the start of free agency, it's much easier to predict which positional needs teams will address during next month's NFL draft. But teams won't solely draft to fill roster holes. This is when teams think ahead, prioritizing looming contract dilemmas and the age of players. And, obviously, teams will favor the best-player-available philosophy throughout the seven rounds of the draft. However, there's no way of knowing how the draft is going to go once the first round opens with the Raiders on April 23. So, let's focus on positional needs for this exercise. Here are the draft needs for every team in the AFC. |
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By Bryan Fischer The 2026 NFL draft is still a little over a month away, and draft season is entering its next phase for teams as they shuffle across the country to evaluate pro days and begin hosting prospects for 30 visits. As draft boards coalesce as a result of getting additional eyes on players—to say nothing of getting to know them better behind the scenes—it's a particularly critical five weeks for the quarterbacks who are jockeying with each other to find a franchise willing to take a chance on them. It seems pretty set in stone at this point that Indiana's Fernando Mendoza will have his name called by commissioner Roger Goodell with the first pick in Pittsburgh, but when might other signal-callers get the phone call they've been waiting years for?
Here's a look at all the QBs aside from the Heisman Trophy winner and handicapping what rounds they might be taken in this year's draft: |
By Gilberto Manzano Earlier this week, we shared the draft needs for all 16 AFC teams. Now, it's time to break down what the NFC teams could be searching for ahead of the opening round of the NFL draft on April 23. But first, let me start by saying that we kept the draft needs to no more than four positions. I'm sure Jets and Dolphins fans are screaming at me for not addressing all of the positions on those wanting rosters. Realistically, most teams will address three to four positions ahead of the upcoming season. Only special draft classes can have a real impact across more than four positions, and teams have already addressed multiple needs via free agency. Here are the positions the NFC teams should address in next month's draft. |
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Gary A. Vasquez/Imagn Images |
By Daniel Flick The opening waves of free agency are done, and pro day season is in full effect, as are official 30 visits and meetings between teams and prospects. Draft season is in full swing. Big boards are growing clearer, and so are team needs. Big-money contracts have been dished out, filling some holes and making others more glaring as the 2026 NFL draft, which spans April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. Here's Sports Illustrated's latest projection for the first round. 1. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana During formal meetings at the NFL combine, the Raiders asked at least one of Mendoza's teammates at Indiana—cornerback D'Angelo Ponds—if he'd like to keep playing with Mendoza at the next level. This pick feels signed, sealed and ready to be delivered on April 23. Mendoza, who won the Heisman Trophy and national championship with the Hoosiers, checks every physical box at 6' 5" and 225 pounds, with a strong arm and enough athleticism to scramble and extend plays. |
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