The Las Vegas Raiders started a new era on Thursday night on day one of the 2026 NFL draft. They took their first quarterback in the first round since 2007 by selecting Fernando Mendoza from Indiana. Mendoza is the 2025 Heisman Trophy Winner and helped lead the Hoosiers to their first-ever national championship.
Mendoza will spark the fanbase, which has been quarterback-starved since Derek Carr’s departure. With a young quarterback in place, there is optimism for the future, especially when paired
with top play-caller Klint Kubiak. Kubiak has maximized every QB he has coached and called plays for, and fans are expecting the same for Mendoza.
The rest of the draft was full of defensive players, with the best one being Jermod McCoy. McCoy’s injury is a concern, but the value of selecting him in the fourth round could pay big dividends.
In today’s SB Nation Reacts, we ask Raider Nation, how would you grade the Raiders’ 2026 NFL draft? The results are in, and 59% of Raiders fans give it an ‘A’ grade for Spytek’s haul of prospects.
A B grade came in second at 33%, with a few grumpy people who gave the Raiders C and D grades. Overall, Raider Nation seems to be satisfied with the new players heading to Las Vegas.
Check out the latest NFL odds and bets at FanDuel Sportsbook.
