Why Raiders selected Fernando Mendoza with No. 1 pick in 2026 NFL Draft

Why Raiders selected Fernando Mendoza with No. 1 pick in 2026 NFL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It's official: Fernando Mendoza is officially a Las Vegas Raiders quarterback.

The Raiders selected Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night, a move that had been expected ever since the Raiders finished the 2025 campaign with the league's worst record via tie-breaker.

Mendoza celebrated the pick from his home, where he was spending the night with his family.

"Pittsburgh is a great opportunity and great venue, and I'm really excited to see all the guys walk across the stage on Thursday night," Mendoza said this week. "My mom really wanted to do it at home, and so did my parents. It's a lot easier for us."

Why Raiders drafted Fernando Mendoza

There's no rocket science here.

Mendoza was the best quarterback in this year's draft by a country mile and Las Vegas had a desperate need at the position for far too long.

Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy last season and led Indiana to a National Championship victory over the Miami Hurricanes.

There was no doubt that Mendoza was the best quarterback in the country.

Now, he'll look to buck the trend of quarterbacks that have struck out with the Raiders. At least he'll have in his corner to help.