With the top pick, the Raiders' path to rebuilding is clear. A Heisman-winning quarterback is poised to lead the franchise's turnaround.
The 2025 season didn’t treat fans of the Las Vegas Raiders well, to say the least. The Raiders had such a poor season, however, that it actually makes the 3-14 record much easier to swallow. They weren’t just bad – they were bad enough to hold the worst record in the league, granting them the No. 1 overall selection in the draft this spring.
Now that the season has officially concluded, the Raiders are officially on the clock ahead of the draft on April 23. There are plenty of areas on the Las Vegas roster that need reinforcement, but the team’s selection with the first overall pick seems crystal clear.
Las Vegas needs a quarterback who can turn its franchise around. After experimenting with trading for a veteran in Geno Smith and it resulting in three wins and a league-leading interception total, it’s clear the Raiders need to try something else under center.
All signs are pointing towards the Raiders selecting Indiana University quarterback Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 in April in hopes of drastically changing the outlook of the franchise.
“After slicing and dicing the Alabama Crimson Tide defense in the College Football Playoff, Fernando Mendoza only strengthened his argument to be this year's No. 1 overall draft pick,” the Bleacher Report NFL Draft Scouting Dept. wrote in a recent mock draft piece. “The Las Vegas Raiders finally get their guy.”
Mendoza will enter the NFL on the back of a Heisman Trophy-winning season in Bloomington in 2025. He threw 3,172 yards and an FBS-leading 36 touchdown passes in his lone season with the Hoosiers. He also led college football in passing efficiency rating and yards gained per pass attempt. As he continues to ball out in the College Football Playoffs, the Raiders will be watching closely.
There are legitimate questions about how effective a rookie quarterback can be in Las Vegas given its current situation. The Raiders had one of, if not the worst, offensive lines in the league last season, making it hard to be optimistic about a rookie QB’s chances at the highest level with practically no protection. They also traded away their No. 1 receiver in the middle of 2025, meaning they have a need to add legitimate weapons to give the rookie the best chance at succeeding.
Las Vegas will also be bringing in a new head coach after Pete Carroll was fired after just one season. There will be a lot of moving parts ot this offseason for the Raiders, and it’s key that we get all of them right. The one sure move they must make, however, is selecting Mendoza with the first pick. From there, the front office can go to work on surrounding its potential franchise quarterback with the correct pieces.