The Las Vegas Raiders are poised to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday, marking a pivotal moment for a franchise desperate for a turnaround. Mendoza, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and national champion, is expected to become the face of a new era under general manager John Spytek and head coach Klint Kubiak.

The Raiders earned the top pick after a disastrous 2025 season, but Spytek has used the offseason to reshape the roster and front office. The team enters the draft with 10 selections over three days, a revamped scouting department, and a new state-of-the-art draft room.

“It’s state-of-the-art,” Spytek said. “I think it’s the best in the NFL, and I don’t think that’s up for discussion. The magnets are a thing of the past for the Raiders now.”

Spytek emphasized the collaborative approach of his personnel team, which includes assistant general manager Brian Stark, vice president of player personnel Brandon Hunt, and senior personnel executive Anthony Patch. The group has spent nearly a year preparing the draft board.

“I think we put the same amount of attention into every player on the board as we work through that because those picks matter,” Stark said. “We’re kind of analyzing all the players on the board through the same microscope.”

While the first pick is a foregone conclusion, Spytek indicated he remains open to trading down later in the draft if the value is right. “We try to be open-minded and try to give ourselves as much time as allotted to make the best decision for the Raiders,” he said.

The Raiders have not selected first overall since 2007, when they took JaMarcus Russell. This time, they hope Mendoza will be the quarterback to end decades of instability at the position.