The Las Vegas Raiders stuck to the script on NFL Draft night, selecting Indiana quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick. Mendoza arrives in the desert with a massive mandate: revitalize a rebuilding franchise and pull the Raiders out of the AFC West cellar following a dismal campaign.
Raiders draft Fernando Mendoza No. 1 verall to lead franchise rebuild
In a move to keep his college brand intact, Mendoza has officially chosen to wear No. 15, the same jersey he donned during his storied run at Indiana.
The pick follows an aggressive offseason for Las Vegas, highlighted by the free-agent signing of veteran Kirk Cousins. While Mendoza is the clear future of the franchise, a quarterback competition isn’t necessarily in the cards for Week 1. All signs point to Cousins starting under center as the QB1, allowing the rookie to acclimate to the NFL’s speed.
Unlike Cousins’ previous stint in Atlanta-where the Michael Penix Jr. selection caught the league by surprise-this dynamic is transparent. Cousins has been brought in with a defined mentorship role to usher in the Mendoza era. Mendoza brings a dangerous dual-threat quarterback skill set to the pros, but the Raiders are prepared for the inevitable growing pains that come with a rookie signal-caller in a developing system.
The first true test for the new-look Raiders will come into focus next month when the NFL officially releases the 2026 schedule.
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