The Las Vegas Raiders own the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft, and many have already begun to speculate what the Raiders will do with it. Some have argued that Las Vegas should trade the pick to fill
more holes on the roster, while others have debated the idea of drafting quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza from Indiana or Dante Moore from Oregon.
After watching Mendoza and Moore go head-to-head on Friday night, with the former winning that battle convincingly, The Athletic’s draft analyst Dane Brugler weighed in on what he thinks the Raiders should do with the top selection.
Is Mendoza a lock to be the No. 1 pick?
How many Las Vegas real estate agents do you think have reached out to Mendoza already? The favorite to be the No. 1 pick played like exactly that in the win over Oregon.
Mendoza’s superpowers are his pre-snap recognition and accuracy, both of which were on full display. He is extremely proficient understanding where vulnerable one-on-one matchups are going to be, and then he puts the ball in a spot where only his man can make the play. It doesn’t matter if it’s an opposite-hash out route, back-shoulder throw or a boundary go pattern, Mendoza’s placement to every level is fantastic.
We can debate all day where he ranks among other recent top quarterback prospects, including Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Cam Ward (each of them being a little different type of player). But Mendoza continues to separate himself in the 2026 draft class as the best option for the Raiders.
This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise after the Peach Bowl. The Heisman Trophy winner has continued to prove himself, and it’s no secret that the Silver and Black have been waiting for an opportunity to get a franchise quarterback since moving on from Derek Carr. So, it sounds like we can start focusing our attention on what the Raiders are going to do with the 36th pick of the draft.
In Other Raiders’ Links:
- Trio of Rams to interview for head coach: Las Vegas is turning to a few head coach options from Los Angeles, defensive coordinator Chris Shula, offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur and offensive passing game coordinator Nate Sheelhaase.
- Packers defensive coordinator under consideration: Adding another name to the potential head coach list, Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, who was recently Boston College’s head coach.
- Maxx Crosby praises Ben Johnson: “One of the best playcallers without a doubt. He does an incredible job in all facets of offense,” Crosby said of the Bears’ head coach on The Rush podcast.
