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Raiders wake up to big Fernando Mendoza day with NFL Draft
TL;DR
The Las Vegas Raiders hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, set for April 23. They are expected to select quarterback Fernando Mendoza from Indiana.
Key points
- Raiders hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft
- Draft is scheduled for April 23, 2026
- Fernando Mendoza is a top quarterback prospect from Indiana
Fernando MendozaLas Vegas RaidersNFL Draft 2026
Raiders wake up to big Fernando Mendoza day with NFL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Las Vegas Raiders have reached the big day.
It's Thursday, April 23, which means the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft will take place in the evening. And the Raiders are, more or less, on the clock.
They've got the No. 1 overall pick, which they "earned" by being the worst team in the league in 2025.
It comes at the right time for the franchise. They need a quarterback, and there available is Indiana's Fernando Mendoza.
MORE:Fernando Mendoza makes specifically perfect sense for Raiders
Mendoza was a relative unknown heading into the 2025 college football season. All he did from there was lead the Hoosiers to a national title while also claiming the Heisman Trophy.
Occasionally, star college QBs will have a game that doesn't look like it'll translate to the NFL. Mendoza isn't one of those guys, though.
He's been the unquestioned QB1 in this draft class for a while, and when you're the top quarterback available, you have a great chance of going with the first overall pick.
The Raiders admitted earlier this offseason that they've gotten calls about teams trading for their spot, but they likely never had serious consideration to that. There's only one spot in this draft where they could take Mendoza, and that's the spot they already have.
Is there some alternate universe where the Raiders shock all of football and take someone else? Maybe. But that's not this universe.
Q&A
Why do the Raiders have the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft?
The Raiders earned the No. 1 overall pick by finishing as the worst team in the league during the 2025 season.
Who is Fernando Mendoza and why is he a top prospect for the Raiders?
Fernando Mendoza is a quarterback from Indiana, and he is considered a top prospect due to his skills and the Raiders' urgent need for a quarterback.
When does the 2026 NFL Draft start and what is significant about it for the Raiders?
The 2026 NFL Draft starts on April 23, and it is significant for the Raiders as they have the opportunity to select a franchise quarterback with the first overall pick.
