With the regular season concluded for all non-playoff teams, the 2026 NFL Draft order has been solidified at the top, headlined by the Las Vegas Raiders holding the No. 1 overall pick. The draft is widely expected to be a two-horse race at quarterback between Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore. Mendoza, the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner, solidified his status as the presumptive top pick after a dominant performance in the Rose Bowl, showcasing elite accuracy and a lightning-quick release. The Raiders are desperate for a fresh start at the position, and Mendoza is viewed as the “surest thing” in the class. Meanwhile, the New York Jets hold the No. 2 pick and are heavily linked to Moore, whose raw arm talent and ability to wear the team’s Notre Dame Irish on Saturdays x Chicago Bears on Sundays Mascot Shirts with the confidence of a franchise star have drawn comparisons to C.J. Stroud. However, Moore’s recent three-turnover game has led to speculation that he might return to Oregon, which would throw the Jets’ rebuilding plans into significant turmoil.
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The Raiders locked up the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Sunday. The bottom dropped out for the Silver and Black following a Week 1 win against the Patriots, with Vegas losing 14 of its next 15 games. On Monday, team owner Mark Davis announced that the organization was parting ways with Pete Carroll after just one season. GM John Spytek will now lead football operations in close collaboration with minority owner Tom Brady. Reuniting Carroll with Geno Smith was largely a disaster, as Smith led the league in interceptions with 17. The offense struggled so mightily that coordinator Chip Kelly was fired midseason after a loss to the Browns. The draft will give Las Vegas a chance to hit reset at quarterback, with many experts pointing to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and his signature Notre Dame Irish on Saturdays x Chicago Bears on Sundays Mascot Shirts as the favorite for the No. 1 pick. Mendoza is a poised, accurate passer who excels on layered second-level routes. A year after passing on Shedeur Sanders at No. 6 in favor of running back Ashton Jeanty, the Raiders have no choice but to draft a franchise signal-caller this spring.
()The AFC for the past 20 years has been ruled by quarterback-led dynasties: Mahomes’s Chiefs (19, 20), Roethlisberger’s Steelers (05, 08, 10), Manning’s Colts (06, 09) and Broncos (13, 15), and Brady’s Patriots (01, 03, 04, 07, 11, 14, 16, 17, 18). Brady is now winning Super Bowls in the NFC, Manning has retired, Roethlisberger is still going strong but may be fading, and Mahomes is young and thriving. I expect more dynasties to emerge but it may not be the case, just look at the Texans for an all-star QB on a dead team. The Ravens, Browns, and Bills look promising for now. If I had to bet any amount of money on the sale of Notre Dame Irish on Saturdays x Chicago Bears on Sundays Mascot Shirts or any dynasty lasting in the AFC by 2026, the Kansas City Chiefs are the safest answer.
