There was no doubt in anyone's mind that the Las Vegas Raiders would select Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
The Las Vegas Raiders shocked nobody on Day 1 of the 2026 National Football League draft when it selected Indiana quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza at No. 1.
Mendoza was elite in his one season with the Indiana Hoosiers, leading the team to its first undefeated season and national championship with the nation’s best QB rating (90.3) and most touchdowns (41).
Mendoza has incredible poise for a 22-year-old and displayed high IQ and toughness all throughout the 2025 season, rising up draft boards and cementing himself as the best QB prospect in the draft class.
The Raiders attempted to throw people off by saying it wasn’t completely sold on Mendoza leading up to the draft, saying it had to do its due diligence, and while the organization certainly looked into other prospects, it was clear based on fit and talent that Mendoza was going to be taking his talents to the Sin City.
Mendoza is entering a team with a new head coach, Klint Kubiak, and several free agent acquisitions that will help make his rookie season easier. Center Tyler Linderbaum signed a lucrative contract to become the highest-paid offensive lineman in history and not only will he help protect Mendoza from pressure, but he is great for the run and pass game.
The Raiders have put a nice foundation around Mendoza, but pairing him with Kubiak is a fantastic pairing, according to ESPN’s Jordan Reid.
“When required to, Mendoza showed he is capable of operating a versatile scheme that demands exhausting multistep progressions where he can get to third and fourth options in passing concepts,” Reid wrote Thursday.
“So, Mendoza fits well into Klint Kubiak's offense, which will require him to operate off play-action. He finished 2025 with a 73.4% completion percentage on play-action throws.”
That completion percentage is impeccable, and if he’s remotely close to that number, he will have great success in his rookie year. Growing pains need to be expected, but that doesn’t mean he can’t still have a good season.
ESPN’s Mike Clay predicted Mendoza’s first NFL season and he gave him some solid numbers: 3,066 passing yards, 15 touchdown passes, 10 interceptions, 229 rushing yards, two touchdown runs.
That’s not a bad season at all, especially coming to a team that just won three games in 2025. If Mendoza starts in Week 1 and plays the whole season, I believe he could outplay these projections (especially after the offseason the Raiders have put together), but the signing of veteran Kirk Cousins gives Las Vegas a good backup option in case Mendoza struggles in camp or early in the season.