The Las Vegas Raiders ended months of speculation Thursday night by selecting Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The announcement, made in Pittsburgh, marked just the second time in franchise history the Raiders owned the top selection.
General manager John Spytek kept the widely anticipated pick straightforward, turning in the card with Mendoza’s name as the draft opened. “There has been a lot of anticipation where I was going to end up here,” Mendoza said after the selection. “Nothing was ever for certain except for tonight. So when I saw that call, I got a whole lot of chills on my entire body.”
Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner, led Indiana to an undefeated season and a national championship, cementing his status as the draft’s top prospect. The Raiders, coming off a 3-14 season, had made clear their intention to rebuild, firing coach Pete Carroll and hiring Klint Kubiak. Spytek, along with minority owner Tom Brady, watched Mendoza lead the Hoosiers past Miami in the national title game in Mendoza’s hometown.
The 22nd quarterback taken first overall in the last 33 years, Mendoza joins a Raiders franchise that has made the playoffs only twice in 23 years and hasn’t won a postseason game since the 2003 AFC championship game. He is the 10th quarterback the Raiders have drafted since 2000 but only the second in the first round, following JaMarcus Russell in 2007.
Mendoza, who stayed home in Miami for the draft with his family, will fly to Las Vegas for a formal introduction Friday. He expressed excitement about learning from Brady and veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, whom the Raiders signed as a potential mentor. “I think it’s a huge edge for the football club,” Mendoza said of working under Brady. “To have such a source of knowledge, intelligence and experience all in one, especially as an owner. It’s something very rare that you get.”
Spytek and Kubiak have indicated they plan to ease Mendoza’s transition by letting him watch Cousins initially, but Mendoza aims to compete immediately. “My goal is to be the best quarterback come September,” he said. “Day 1, I’ll be comfortable under center, staying in cadence and calling a play in the huddle.”
