PITTSBURGH – As expected, the Raiders have made Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza the first overall pick in the NFL draft.
Touted as the decidedly best quarterback prospect in the draft, the Heisman Trophy winner and National Champion becomes the linchpin of the Raiders’ revival under the leadership of minority owner Tom Brady, the de facto head of football operations, general manager John Spytek, and head coach Klint Kubiak.
Mendoza becomes just the third quarterback the Raiders have picked in the first round since moving from the AFL to the NFL in 1970, and only the second quarterback they have taken with the first overall pick.
The previous quarterback taken number one was JaMarcus Russell in 2007. In many ways, Mendoza is the polar opposite of Russell, who quickly flamed out as an NFL prospect and became one of the all-time cautionary tales in draft history.
Mendoza will compete with veteran Kirk Cousins for the starting quarterback job in 2026.
As of now, the Raiders hold the 36th pick overall in the second round and the 67th pick in the third round. With needs at wide receiver, defensive tackle, safety, and the offensive line, expect them to keep a close eye on those positions on day two of the draft on Friday.
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Grade: A
It’s not just the pick of Mendoza himself that makes this such a highly graded selection; it’s the infrastructure the Raiders have built to welcome and develop him. They are determined to make this work and have laid an impressive groundwork for his arrival, including the new coaching staff under Kubiak, the leadership of Brady and Spytek, and an offensive line bolstered by the addition of All-Pro center Tyler Linderbaum and young weapons like tight end Brock Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty.