# Ian Rapoport: Rapoport said he believes the Raiders will draft quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick, expects Miami to part ways with Tua Tagovailoa, thinks Malik Willis will have a strong market, and would be surprised if Kenneth Walker or Breece Hall received the franchise tag. He also predicted the Raiders' offensive line will play better with better coaching, that Mendoza likely won't throw at the combine, and that free agency will be trade-heavy. **Claimed:** Feb 17, 2026 **Pundit:** Ian Rapoport — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/ian-rapoport **Outlet:** The Rich Eisen Show (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/the-rich-eisen-show-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us **Original:** https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/ESP6630404773.mp3?updated=1771355681 2 checkable claims — 1 mock draft pick and 1 trade and signing call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 1 of 2 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess at the same calls. > It's it's draft for Nelme Doza, which I I do believe will happen. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Fernando Mendoza to be picked at number 1** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Tua Tagovailoa to move to Miami Dolphins** - Kind: Trade and Signing Calls · About: Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Fernando Mendoza — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/fernando-mendoza - Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/raiders - Tua Tagovailoa — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/tua-tagovailoa - Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/dolphins ## What others said about the same people - Chris Broussard on Las Vegas Raiders: Broussard picked the Bills to beat the Chargers in a competitive, higher-scoring game, said the Chiefs will rout the Dolphins, and for upset alert parlayed the Patriots over the Jaguars and the Raiders over the Saints. He also restated his Cowboys-versus-Ravens Super Bowl matchup pick. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/dee7585c-6da6-4afc-9954-ff32cf8de4e3 (scored 100) - Tyler DeSena on Kevin Coleman: DeSena expects Chris Bell to function as Miami's X-receiver, with Caleb Douglas as the deep-threat Z and Malik Washington in the slot, and considers Bell, Douglas, Washington and fifth-round rookie Kevin Coleman locks to make the 53-man roster. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cdf88974-3b99-4342-b7eb-bcf15f82379c (scored 100) - Alain Poupart on Keith Cooper Jr.: Poupart's third 53-man roster projection of 2026 for the Dolphins names which players make the roster and which are cut at each position group. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/af1013eb-d6fa-476c-b1d9-bc977dff22a5 (scored 0) - Mike Moraitis on Andre Jones Jr.: Moraitis expects Andre Jones Jr. to hold a spot on Miami's 53-man roster after being signed off Buffalo's practice squad, with a significant special teams role under coordinator Chris Tabor. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/aada599b-129d-4866-bc24-0562e28b735c (scored 100) - Scott Kennedy on Tua Tagovailoa: Kennedy reports that Atlanta is expected to keep three quarterbacks on its 53-man roster: Tua Tagovailoa, Michael Penix Jr., and undrafted rookie Jack Strand. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4271fbfe-2320-41d0-a8f0-000ddbb80076 (scored 100) - Alain Poupart on Jalen Tolbert: Previewing the Dolphins' preseason finale and roster cutdown, Poupart states Malik Willis is locked in as the starting quarterback, Mark Gronowski is effectively gone, and identifies Greg Dulcich and Will Kacmarek as the only certainties at tight end while treating several receivers as settled roster locks. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ea9d4107-0a88-42a5-8300-186c4a38bef3 (scored 100) ## More mock draft picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Lance Zierlein on Jeremiyah Love: Zierlein laid out his final mock draft: Jeremiah Love at No. 3 to Arizona, Sonny Styles at No. 4 to Robert Saleh's team, and Caleb Downs to the Giants at No. 5. He also called Styles the only first-round linebacker in the class and said Ty Simpson is a lock to be a first-round pick, most likely to Arizona. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cf600df8-87eb-492b-9d91-f7a2b39104ac (scored 100) - Nick Shook on Max Iheanachor: Shook walks through his full first-round mock draft, assigning a prospect to every pick from No. 1 to No. 32, headlined by Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders, David Bailey to the Jets and Jeremiah Love to the Cardinals in the top three. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/7d4209aa-2e2d-47a2-b6e5-791d16d209cb (scored 87.81) - Gregg Rosenthal on K.C. Concepcion: Rosenthal disagrees most with Casey Concepcion being left out of the first round, arguing he could go as high as the top 15 and certainly won't last past receiver-needy teams in the late twenties. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8fae9a3a-7fd8-454c-99cc-0a8400c35d7d (scored 67.71) - Daniel Jeremiah on Keyron Crawford: In discussing teams without first-round picks, Jeremiah projected specific Day 2 picks: Clemson WR Antonio Williams to the Falcons at 48, Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez to the Colts in the second round, Oklahoma edge R Mason Thomas to the Packers at 52, and Auburn edge Keiroon Crawford to the Broncos at 62. He also expects Riley Leonard to open as the Colts' starting QB and Travis Hunter to play cornerback full time in Jacksonville. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/f60c916c-1b5f-4252-8733-1770c7809577 (scored 80.52) - Daniel Jeremiah on Carnell Tate: Jeremiah says Denver, not Kansas City, will be the clear favorite in the AFC West this season; he also puts Carnell Tate sixth and Monroe Freeling twentieth on his prospect board, mocks Tate to Cleveland at No. 6, and expects Georgia receiver Branch to be a Day 2 pick after a strong pro day. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/48a1d189-dc0f-4250-aa3b-0e27119c733a (scored 91.7) - Bucky Brooks on Carnell Tate: In a mock draft covering the first 14 picks, Brooks made the odd-numbered selections: Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders at No. 1, a Miami offensive lineman to Arizona at No. 3, Caleb Downs to the Giants at No. 5, Ohio State's Arvell Reese to Washington at No. 7, Carnell Tate to Kansas City at No. 9, tight end Kenyon Sadiq to Miami at No. 11, and Spencer Fano to the Rams at No. 13. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/677f566f-9e38-4dd7-b312-0baad54b440e (scored 80.52) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/corrections?pundit=ian-rapoport