With Mendoza locked in, the Las Vegas Raiders must now strategize their early draft picks, focusing on defense.
For the past few months, it has seemed to be a foregone conclusion that Indiana Hoosiers quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza will be the first overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2026 NFL Draft.
That continues to be the case, and it seems even more likely with the Raiders moving up Mendoza's visit and signing veteran Kirk Cousins to fill in until Mendoza is ready to play.
The Raiders looked to be getting a second first-round draft pick once they agreed to send pass rusher Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens, but that changed when the Ravens shockingly backed out of the deal.
So, we can basically put Mendoza's name on the draft card to the Raiders, and the real question begins with what Las Vegas does starting from the second round of the draft.
Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report had one question for every team, and his question was what happens with the rest of the draft, beginning from Round 2.
"Now, with Kirk Cousins on board and the key cogs in place on both sides of the ball, the question is how they'll fill things out with early selections in Rounds 2 and 3 as well as three picks in Round 4. Watch for the focus to be on the secondary as well as the interior defensive line," Gagnon wrote.
The idea of pairing Mendoza with Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. is a fun one, but it seems unlikely that Cooper falls to the second round.
But, as Gagnon wrote, addressing the secondary and defensive line probably figures to be a safer route for the Raiders to go in the long run.
The Raiders have an early pick in Round 2, and Georgia defensive tackle Christen Miller is an intriguing option in Round 2.
The Raiders also brought in Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean in free agency, and the former Georgia Bulldogs teammates are expected to bring a boost to the linebacker room, so maybe the Raiders will fill a DL area of need with another ex-Georgia star.
Las Vegas hit a home run in free agency by signing Ravens Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum, and that will help Mendoza for years to come.
The Raiders have some questions to answer, but the good news is that they have plenty of draft picks to work with this time around. Bringing in some defensive playmakers figures to be the best-case scenario, with Mendoza trending toward being the top pick this time around.