Raiders Add Much-Needed Star Power in Latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft

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The Las Vegas Raiders are off to a terrible start to the 2025 season. Going into Week 6, the Silver and Black are 1-4 and are on a four-game losing streak. Many people around the NFL think that the Raiders' season is on the line in Week 6.
If they cannot win that game, you might as well start packing your bags. It has not looked good for the Raiders this season, and there are no signs that it will get better as they are looking to find something to give the Raider Nation to cheer about.
Right now, the biggest problem for the Raiders has been at the quarterback position. That is one position that the Raiders have not been stable in for the last few years. And it is still a growing concern for this franchise. This offseason, they went and got veteran quarterback Geno Smith, and he has not been the quarterback we have seen him be the last couple of years in Seattle. Geno has not lived up to expectations, and it has gone from bad to worse.

Smith has been a turnover machine this season and is the leader in interceptions with nine through five games. That is one thing that the Raiders did not see coming when they went out and got him. It is something that has haunted the Raiders during their four-game losing streak. And it has not looked any better from game to game. The Raiders hope it is going to get better, but Smith has shown no signs of stopping from turning the ball over. That is something the Raiders could not afford this season.
Some fans have already moved on and started thinking about the 2026 NFL Draft and see what player the Raiders could take.
Daniel Flick of Sports Illustrated released his latest mock draft for the 2026 NFL Draft, and he has the Raiders taking a quarterback in the first round.

6. Las Vegas Raiders (1–4)
LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina

"Las Vegas’s big offseason swing for quarterback Geno Smith hasn’t yet paid dividends, as Smith has thrown an NFL-leading nine interceptions. The Raiders owe Smith $18.5 million guaranteed in 2026, but there are no further cap implications should they part ways after this season. Sellers, an uber-talented redshirt sophomore, has endured an up-and-down campaign, but he has the best physical tools of any passer in the prospective quarterback pool. At 6' 3" and 240 pounds, Sellers has a strong arm, explosive athleticism and playmaking ability. Perhaps the Raiders will swing for the fences once again."
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Michael Canel is a breaking news beat writer for various team sites across the On SI platform, focusing on both college and professional sports. A graduate of Fresno State University, he has transformed his passion for sports into a career, covering the latest breaking news with years of expertise and the enthusiasm of a devoted fan.