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2026 NFL Mock Draft: Where Would Arch Manning, Jeremiah Smith Be Picked in All-CFB Draft?
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2026 NFL Mock Draft: Where Would Arch Manning, Jeremiah Smith Be Picked in All-CFB Draft?

#2026 NFL Draft #Arch Manning #Fernando Mendoza #Dante Moore #mock draft #quarterback #Las Vegas Raiders #college football

📌 Key Takeaways

  • Fernando Mendoza is projected as the No. 1 overall pick to the Las Vegas Raiders in an all-college football mock draft.
  • Dante Moore is selected second by the New York Jets, considered the consensus No. 2 quarterback behind Mendoza.
  • Arch Manning is chosen third by the Arizona Cardinals, valued for his traits and pedigree despite early-season struggles.
  • The mock draft assumes all current college players are eligible, allowing stars like Jeremiah Smith to enter immediately.

📖 Full Retelling

Could you imagine what the 2026 NFL Draft would look like if all college football players were eligible to be picked? Would Arch Manning be the first quarterback taken? Would the Las Vegas Raiders dare to make Jeremiah Smith the No. 1 overall pick? Well, there’s no need for you to imagine, because we’re going to find the answers to those questions in our All-College Football Mock Draft. The premise is simple: Every player who played in college football this past season is eligible to be selected in the NFL Draft. So, stars like Smith wouldn’t have to wait another year to enter the NFL. Let’s take a look at how I think the first round would play out in our All-College Football Mock Draft. 1. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana We know the Raiders still need a quarterback in this exercise. But is there a quarterback who played in college last year you’d take over Mendoza? The answer’s no. You would still take Mendoza at No. 1 in this. It might be tempting to go with a guy like Arch Manning — could you imagine Tom Brady drafting a Manning? It’s a fascinating discussion, but Mendoza should still be the pick. 2. New York Jets: Dante Moore, QB, Oregon The Jets also need a quarterback, and the discussion here would be between Moore and Manning. If you watched the tape, Moore was the better player of the two last season. I think he would win out in the evaluation process as a result. Even this year, when Moore was making his decision whether to enter the draft or not, he was the consensus No. 2 quarterback to Mendoza. Moore’s an elite talent and can further boost his draft stock in 2026. 3. Arizona Cardinals: Arch Manning, QB, Texas The Cardinals also need a quarterback, and luckily for them, this exercise provides them with plenty of talented quarterback options. It would be hard to pass up on Manning with the third pick here, even with the struggles he had early last season. His traits are just too tantalizing at this point, and he’s a Manning. If you’re the

🏷️ Themes

NFL Draft, College Football

📚 Related People & Topics

Dante Moore

Dante Moore

American football player (born 2005)

Dante Moore (born May 24, 2005) is an American college football quarterback for the Oregon Ducks. He previously played for the UCLA Bruins.

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Fernando Mendoza

Fernando Mendoza

American football player (born 2003)

Fernando Gabriel Mendoza V (born October 1, 2003) is an American college football quarterback for the Indiana Hoosiers. Mendoza previously played for the California Golden Bears before transferring to Indiana in 2025, where he won the Heisman Trophy among other awards en route to a national champion...

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Las Vegas Raiders

National Football League franchise in the Las Vegas metropolitan area

The Las Vegas Raiders are a professional American football team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Raiders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team plays its home games at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nev...

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Arch Manning

Arch Manning

American football player (born 2004)

Archibald Charles Manning (born April 27, 2004) is an American college football quarterback for the Texas Longhorns. He is a member of the Manning family of renowned football players.

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗

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Mentioned Entities

Dante Moore

Dante Moore

American football player (born 2005)

 Fernando Mendoza

Fernando Mendoza

American football player (born 2003)

Las Vegas Raiders

National Football League franchise in the Las Vegas metropolitan area

 Arch Manning

Arch Manning

American football player (born 2004)

Deep Analysis

Why It Matters

This speculative mock draft matters because it highlights how NFL team needs and college talent evaluation would intersect if eligibility rules were removed, affecting draft strategy discussions among analysts, teams, and fans. It impacts perceptions of current college players' NFL readiness, potentially influencing media narratives and fan debates about prospects like Arch Manning. The exercise also underscores the value of immediate versus developmental talent in professional sports drafting.

Context & Background

  • The NFL Draft currently requires players to be three years removed from high school graduation to be eligible, creating a gap between college performance and professional entry.
  • Arch Manning comes from football's most famous quarterback family, with uncles Peyton and Eli both being NFL legends and first overall picks.
  • Mock drafts are a staple of NFL offseason coverage, helping fans and analysts project team needs and player valuations years in advance.
  • The Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets both have documented quarterback needs in reality, making their hypothetical selections particularly relevant.
  • College football's transfer portal and NIL rules have already changed how players approach eligibility and draft timing decisions.

What Happens Next

Actual 2026 draft evaluations will continue based on real eligibility rules, with these players developing further in college. Media will track Arch Manning's progression at Texas and Jeremiah Smith's performance. Teams will scout these prospects through the 2025 season, with the real 2026 draft order determined by 2025 NFL team records.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why would Fernando Mendoza be picked over Arch Manning in this scenario?

The analysis suggests Mendoza's proven college performance last season makes him the safer immediate choice, while Manning's early struggles and raw traits make him more of a developmental prospect despite his famous pedigree.

How does this hypothetical draft differ from reality?

In reality, most of these players aren't yet draft-eligible due to NFL rules requiring three years out of high school. This exercise imagines all college players being available regardless of class year.

What makes Jeremiah Smith an interesting case?

Smith represents elite talent who would normally wait for eligibility, but in this scenario gets immediate NFL consideration, testing how teams value proven college production versus projected professional upside.

How accurate are mock drafts this far in advance?

They're highly speculative entertainment rather than predictions, as player development, injuries, and team needs will change dramatically over two college seasons before the actual 2026 draft.

Why do the Raiders, Jets, and Cardinals all take quarterbacks?

These teams have persistent quarterback needs in reality, making their hypothetical selections reflect actual franchise priorities and draft strategy where quarterback is the most valuable position.

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Original Source
Could you imagine what the 2026 NFL Draft would look like if all college football players were eligible to be picked? Would Arch Manning be the first quarterback taken? Would the Las Vegas Raiders dare to make Jeremiah Smith the No. 1 overall pick? Well, there’s no need for you to imagine, because we’re going to find the answers to those questions in our All-College Football Mock Draft. The premise is simple: Every player who played in college football this past season is eligible to be selected in the NFL Draft. So, stars like Smith wouldn’t have to wait another year to enter the NFL. Let’s take a look at how I think the first round would play out in our All-College Football Mock Draft. 1. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana We know the Raiders still need a quarterback in this exercise. But is there a quarterback who played in college last year you’d take over Mendoza? The answer’s no. You would still take Mendoza at No. 1 in this. It might be tempting to go with a guy like Arch Manning — could you imagine Tom Brady drafting a Manning? It’s a fascinating discussion, but Mendoza should still be the pick. 2. New York Jets: Dante Moore, QB, Oregon The Jets also need a quarterback, and the discussion here would be between Moore and Manning. If you watched the tape, Moore was the better player of the two last season. I think he would win out in the evaluation process as a result. Even this year, when Moore was making his decision whether to enter the draft or not, he was the consensus No. 2 quarterback to Mendoza. Moore’s an elite talent and can further boost his draft stock in 2026. 3. Arizona Cardinals: Arch Manning, QB, Texas The Cardinals also need a quarterback, and luckily for them, this exercise provides them with plenty of talented quarterback options. It would be hard to pass up on Manning with the third pick here, even with the struggles he had early last season. His traits are just too tantalizing at this point, and he’s a Manning. If you’re the
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