The Las Vegas Raiders control the 2026 NFL Draft with the No. 1 overall pick, giving them leverage over a quarterback-needy league. Fernando Mendoza has long been tied to that spot, but one question lingers: whether Las Vegas would consider any outcome that does not end with the Indiana quarterback in silver and black.
Will The Raiders Draft Fernando Mendoza?
League executives do not believe that scenario exists. NFL insider Jason La Canfora reported that front offices exploring trade-up options are already operating under the assumption that the pick is effectively off the market. One general manager described the Raiders’ posture as locked in.
“You aren’t getting that pick from Brady,” Canfora quoted an anonymous GM as saying. “It’s not for sale. Mendoza is their guy.”
That assessment has reshaped how teams are approaching the top of the board. Clubs that would normally position themselves for an aggressive move into the No. 1 slot are recalibrating their strategies before formal discussions even begin.
Another general manager reinforced that sentiment when asked whether a historic offer could change the calculus. In his view, it is not only that the Raiders appear locked into their plan. It is also that the type of package required to pry the pick away does not align with how Mendoza is being valued across the league.
The idea of surrendering multiple first-round selections for this quarterback, even one widely regarded as the top option in the class, is not something he believes teams will seriously entertain.
“Is somebody going to throw three first-round picks at them to draft the kid from Indiana? That’s not going to happen. They’re drafting the quarterback.”
Mendoza is widely viewed as the top quarterback in the class. The former Indiana standout led the Hoosiers to a Big Ten championship and a national title. Last season, he threw for 3,535 yards with 41 touchdowns and six interceptions. He added 276 rushing yards and seven more scores on the ground, finishing with a 93.3 PFSN College QB Impact Score.
Around the league, the belief is that the Raiders’ conviction runs deeper than standard draft posturing. Las Vegas hired Klint Kubiak as its new head coach with the intention of reshaping a stagnant offense, and pairing a rookie quarterback with a first-year play-caller provides a clean reset.
With All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers already in place and Ashton Jeanty emerging as a dynamic backfield weapon, Mendoza would step into a structure designed to grow alongside him.
The franchise has not received sustained elite quarterback play in decades, and new minority owner Tom Brady has made the position a clear priority. From an organizational standpoint, that alignment narrows the path forward.
While draft dynamics can always shift, league sentiment suggests the Raiders are not exploring alternative outcomes. For now, the rest of the NFL is planning as if Mendoza to Las Vegas is inevitable.
