Fernando Mendoza — 2026 NFL Mock Draft Roundup 3.0

This has long been a foregone conclusion. The Raiders nab their hopeful franchise quarterback in Mendoza, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner who led the Hoosiers to their first-ever national title.

The draft starts at No. 2, as this pick has been etched in stone basically since the order was decided. Mendoza's Heisman-winning season displayed superior accuracy, arm strength, ability to scan the field, clutch production and good in-pocket mobility.

The Raiders worked hard in free agency to beef up the roster around Mendoza, specifically landing the best available offensive lineman in center Tyler Linderbaum. One area Mendoza will need to work on is being under center. He did that just 3% of the time in 2025; NFL teams played under center on 34.9% of snaps in 2025.

This is a slam dunk. All mock drafters will get this one right. He is the guy to turn that franchise around.

I got a call from a GM offering two first-round picks for the No. 1 pick. I countered and asked for their 2027 first-round pick as well, but didn't get a response before the clock wound down. I'm not sure if I'd pull the trigger anyway — I just wanted to see how desperate they were. Also, I needed something to spice it up, having the most obvious mock draft pick this year. The Raiders' free-agent signings, and new coach Klint Kubiak, might mutiny over a trade because they likely chose Las Vegas with the promise of playing with Mendoza. — Ted Nguyen

The Raiders recently traded Geno Smith to the Jets, which means there's really nothing I can say here that hasn't been written 100 times before. This is done, and let's hope for Klint Kubiak's sake it works. Onto the next.

As if there's been any mystery surrounding this pick since the 2025 regular season ended, the Silver and Black's position was further clarified by the trade of QB Geno Smith, who wasn't even retained as a bridge option to Mendoza. The 6-foot-5, 236-pound Heisman Trophy winner paced FBS with 41 TD passes last season, processes like a microchip and just led the Hoosiers to a magical national championship. His interactions with reporters and his fellow attendees at the scouting combine continued to burnish his reputation as an outstanding person and teammate. Might have been nice for this team to get extra youngsters around Mendoza had the Maxx Crosby trade gone through, yet playing with Crosby could be equally beneficial for the new face of the franchise — on the field and off.

Las Vegas used free agency to reel in three-time Pro Bowler Tyler Linderbaum at center, which should aid in Mendoza's development. I still expect the Raiders to add a veteran quarterback this offseason, so they won't need to rush the rookie onto the field.

Including the No. 1 selection in mock drafts is just a formality at this point. It's going to be Mendoza, and the Raiders have spent the past two weeks trying to clean up the surroundings for his arrival. The team's biggest signing was center Tyler Linderbaum on a massive three-year, $81 million deal; he will help Mendoza with setting protections and improve the interior blocking. The Raiders also moved on from their previous starting QB by trading Geno Smith to the Jets. That leaves Aidan O'Connell as the only passer on the roster. It's time for the Mendoza era to begin in Las Vegas.

We all kind of know this is what's going to happen. I think Mendoza will be a great fit for the Raiders from a coaching and offensive philosophy standpoint. They went out and paid top-dollar for some free agents, with Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum headlining that group. They're building up the offensive line for not just Mendoza, but also for running back Ashton Jeanty. I think the Raiders are building toward something big, which bodes well for a quarterback who plays his best in crunch time.