Raiders clinch first overall pick in 2026 NFL Draft after Giants beat Cowboys

The Las Vegas Raiders are connected the clock.

A nonaccomplishment would person clinched the Raiders the archetypal wide prime adjacent April, but they did not person to hold for their ain crippled to footwear disconnected to find retired their fate.

The New York Giants had an extracurricular changeable astatine the No. 1 pick, a enactment they controlled heading into their matchup against the Raiders past week.

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A wide presumption of the tract shows the New England Patriots and the Las Vegas Raiders successful the archetypal 4th of their crippled astatine Allegiant Stadium connected Oct. 15, 2023 successful Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

However, the Giants bushed the Raiders, forfeiting their power of the prime to Las Vegas. New York needed a nonaccomplishment and a Raiders triumph to regain the archetypal pick, but the Giants bushed the Dallas Cowboys, 34-17, giving the Raiders the selection.

It is wide assumed that Indiana backmost Fernando Mendoza volition beryllium a Raider. Las Vegas acquired seasoned backmost Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks during the offseason, but amid a dreadful play for the Raiders, Smith was a disappointment. Entering Sunday, helium had thrown for 3,025 yards and 19 touchdowns against 17 interceptions successful 15 games.

Geno Smith of the Las Vegas Raiders reacts successful the crippled against the Cleveland Browns astatine Allegiant Stadium connected Nov. 23, 2025 successful Las Vegas, Nevada. (Chris Unger/Getty Images)

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Smith, 35, has 2 years near connected his deal, but it's hard to ideate the Raiders passing up the Heisman Trophy victor who mightiness implicit a cleanable play with a nationalist championship.

The 2-14 Raiders volition look the Kansas City Chiefs to extremity their regular season. The past clip the Raiders had the archetypal prime was successful 2007, erstwhile they selected JaMarcus Russell retired of LSU. Russell went connected to go 1 of the biggest draught busts successful NFL history, playing successful 31 games, with his past coming successful 2009.

Perhaps the Indiana backmost could person a amended outcome.

Indiana backmost Fernando Mendoza throws earlier an NCAA assemblage shot crippled against Wisconsin, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, successful Bloomington, Indiana. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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The Giants, meanwhile, could autumn arsenic acold arsenic the No. 7 prime with their 4-13 record, depending connected however the 4:25 p.m. games play out.

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