2026 NFL Draft Nation’s Focus: AFC West

Welcome to the 2026 Draft Nation’s Focus series. This series will cover what each NFL team will need to focus on in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. In this article, Ian Stuart Martin covers what prospects will stand out for the teams of the AFC West.

Las Vegas Raiders

New head coach Klint Kubiak needs offensive linemen to pair with Tyler Linderbaum and Jackson Powers-Johnson. GM John Spytek will also need to get Kubiak weapons at wide receiver. The biggest hole in the roster is at quarterback.

Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana) 

The Silver and Black’s future rests on Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. At 6’5”, 235 lbs., the 22-year-old has a great arm and the pinpoint accuracy of a prototypical pocket passer. Mendoza has all the traits to be a franchise QB if Kubiak can continue his development trajectory.  

The concerns are twofold. First, Mendoza doesn’t have the agility to be a mobile QB. He has surprising top speed but slow acceleration, drawing a comparison to a young Daniel Jones. Mendoza won’t make defenders miss like Lamar Jackson, but his scramble drills will have some highlights. 

Second, Mendoza’s transition to a professional scheme will be challenging. He took only 3% of his snaps under center. Shotgun is the primary formation in football, but top NFL offenses and quarterbacks frequently use play action. Additionally, Indiana’s scheme was primarily reading pre-snap coverage and not going through a progression. In the NFL, every defense has plays built for post-snap coverage shifts.

Despite these concerns, Mendoza still has a path to being a great quarterback. Sam Darnold, Jared Goff, and Jalen Hurts all struggled in their careers to go beyond being good college quarterbacks. Over time, Darnold has become a play-action aficionado. Goff’s play processor accelerated to the top tier. Jalen Hurts, once labeled a one-read QB, won a Super Bowl MVP. With patience, good protection, and playmakers, Mendoza can walk the same well-trodden path from college QB to NFL starting quarterback.

Kansas City Chiefs

GM Brett Veach and the Kansas City Chiefs need to retool the team to get back to February football. The defensive line, in particular, Chris Jones and company, needs another focal point. The wide receiver room hasn’t had a true number one since Tyreek Hill in 2021. They have their No. 1 RB with Kenneth Walker, but need to shore up their O-line. With picks 9 and 29 in the first round, they have the chance to address these issues.

Rueben Bain Jr. (EDGE/DE, Miami) 

At 6'3”, 270 lbs., Rueben Bain Jr. is arguably the pound-for-pound strongest player in this class. Bain has short arms for a defensive end at 30’⅞”. His frame is below the ideal average for the position at the next level. But don’t tell Bain these will hold him back because his play proves they won’t. Bain has no major holes in his game. From his elite get-off, his aggressive gap-filling mentality, and his fluid transitions from speed to power, he is the top edge prospect.

Bain could fall to them at pick 9, but trading up to secure him would be worth it. Putting a wrecking ball on the line would take the pressure off Chris Jones, who would no longer be the lone focus of opposing offensive lines.

Akheem Mesidor (EDGE/DE, Miami) 

On the opposite side of Miami’s elite defensive line is 6’3”, 265 lbs. Akheem Mesidor. As one of the rare older first round prospects, some teams will be hesitant to pick him. Mesidor will be 25 in less than a month. However, Mesidor is one of the most polished and technically sound pass rushers in the entire class. The cost-conscious Chiefs could have Mesidor for 5 prime years, with no development required.

Mesidor has a complete toolbox filled with pass rush moves. He uses this repertoire of finesse moves efficiently and fluidly, and strings them together. Mesidor doesn’t have the athletic freak build to destroy runs. However, he understands his role: sealing edges, filling gaps, and doing the unsung dirty work.

Omar Cooper Jr. (WR, Indiana) 

At 6’0”, 200 lbs., Omar Cooper Jr. is one of the best slot receivers in this draft. He has great run-after-catch ability, reliable hands, and is a solid contested catch guy. He only has one year of solid production, but he has the tools to continue that production and become more than a complementary piece. The Chiefs’ current slot, Rashee Rice, is on the last year of his deal. Cooper would fit well next to Xavier Worthy and Travis Kelce, giving the Chiefs four years of a cost-effective slot receiver with potential WR1 upside.

Los Angeles Chargers

GM Joe Hortiz and the Los Angeles Chargers need to get help for Justin Herbert. The offensive line, while very talented, was injury-prone last year and desperately needs depth. Cole Strange and Tyler Biadasz are nice additions, but the line is still thin. One injury could end their playoff hopes.

Spencer Fano (OT, Utah) 

Fano is a great fit for the Chargers. He isn’t likely to fall to pick 22, but his value to the Chargers might justify trading up. Fano has incredible athleticism. A 6’6” and 302 lbs. tackle gaining 9 pounds between the end of the college season and the combine is impressive. That same tackle running a 4.91 forty at 311 lbs. suggests Fano could put on more muscle and maintain his elite agility. 

Fano has two minor concerns. First, his 32-inch arms are below average. Second, while his agility normally allows him to recover, his pad level, chest, and hips will open or raise slightly too early. These issues aren’t stopping him from being successful, but they are skills that will need to be addressed at the pro level.

Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt are both pillars of the line, but there is no dependable backup behind them. If both remain healthy next year, Fano can slide to guard, where agility would be an even bigger asset. Although he deserves a chance at tackle, Fano could develop into a Pro Bowler at either position. Woe is the defender who meets Fano pulling as a guard.

Olaivavega Ioane (G, Penn State) 

Olaivavega “Vega” Ioane is the hulking ship anchor that solidifies pass protection. At 6’4”, 320 lbs., Ioane is the most NFL-ready offensive lineman in the draft. Like Fano, Ioane is unlikely to drop to pick 22, but he is the pass-protecting guard the Chargers need to shore up a thin offensive line. 

Ioane digs deep and holds a block with a granite base and vise-grip hands. His one knock is his mobility. Ioane can struggle to reach the second level as a run blocker.

A line featuring Ioane alongside Slater, Alt, Biadasz, Strange, and Trevor Penning at swing tackle would make for a brutal, grinding unit. Much of what determines whether the Chargers pick Ioane is Slater’s recovery from his torn patellar injury.

Denver Broncos

Head coach Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos traded their first-round pick for Jaylen Waddle. GM George Paton addressed the Broncos issues at wide receiver. Now, one of the most complete teams in the NFL can use its remaining draft picks on the best players available.

Jacob Rodriguez (ILB, Texas Tech) 

If Jacob Rodriguez were a couple of inches taller or weighed 20 pounds more, he would be a first-round pick. At 6’1”, 231 lbs., Rodriguez is more likely to go on Day 2. Rodriguez is a high-motor, end-to-end linebacker with great production at Texas Tech this past year, finishing fifth in Heisman voting. His physical tools may limit him against bigger, faster, and stronger competition. However, under DC Vance Joseph, Rodriguez’s intelligence and former quarterback instincts would fit right in. 

There is a place in the NFL for undersized Linebackers. Bobby Wagner entered the league in 2011 at 6’0” and 233 lbs. He leveraged his aggressive intelligence to be a top linebacker. Rodriguez doesn’t have the arm length, 30⅞” vs 33”, or raw play strength, but Vance Joseph already has star players up and down the defense. Adding a smart, rangy linebacker to the support cast of stars is rarely a bad move.

Nate Boerkircher (TE, Texas A&M) 

For a well-rounded team like the Broncos, getting guys like Nate Boerkircher late in the draft is key. Texas A&M’s Boerkircher has just 417 yards over his four-year college career, including 198 last season. His receiving numbers don’t pop off the page. However, Boerkircher does have flashes of receiving skill, such as the game-winning touchdown vs Notre Dame. 

The 6’5” and 245 lbs., Boerkircher’s calling card is his blocking. He is the most enthusiastic blocking tight end in this year’s draft, consistently hunting for contact with defenders. At a position where blocking is normally an afterthought, Boerkircher embraces it.

The Broncos’ tight end room, featuring Evan Engram and Adam Trautman, offers little blocking. Adding Boerkircher would add a unique skill set they currently lack and open up new play opportunities. At 25 years old Boerkircher doesn’t have much room to develop, but he would also be under contract for the bulk of his athletic prime.