fernando mendoza
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Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza.
The Las Vegas Raiders decided to favor offense in their head coaching search with the decision to hire former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. That should be a big hint as towwhere the team is leaning toward in the 2026 NFL Draft.
It’s no secret that the Raiders need a quarterback and are strongly considering taking Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick. On the surface, Mendoza appears to be a very strong fit in Kubiak’s offensive system.
However, the coach isn’t going to commit to anything after being on the job for one day. He dodged Mendoza questions during his introductory press conference, but eventually, he caved and gave some of his first impressions of the young quarterback.
“My exposure is very limited. I saw him play the National Championship game,” Kubiak told Raiders media after his introductory press conference. “I saw the interviews he gave after those games, and how team-oriented he is. I look forward to getting to know the player better. But obviously, he’s a really talented guy with a bright future, and we will see where he ends up.
“But we have got a lot of work to do to get to know him before that time comes.”
Field Yates Projects Raiders to Select Mendoza
The Raiders have been focused on the head coaching search, so now they can start really doing a deep dive on Mendoza. Owners Tom Brady and Mark Davis and general manager John Spytek attended the National Championship game to watch Mendoza, and he led his team to a win.
ESPN’s Field Yates put together a mock draft, and he still predicts the Raiders to take Mendoza with the No. 1 pick.
“As the Raiders embark upon a new era with Klint Kubiak at head coach, Mendoza is the ideal partner to pair with him,” Yates wrote. “He had a remarkable season in 2025, displaying elite accuracy and overall arm talent to throw to all levels of the field. He improved his pocket awareness and was fantastic in clutch moments, leading the Hoosiers to their first undefeated record and a national championship. Mendoza brings a strong frame and in-pocket mobility with enough creativity to handle duress out of structure. And his quick-processing skills point to a successful starting NFL QB.”
Any Chance Raiders Pivot Off of Mendoza?
Right now, there’s no reason the Raiders shouldn’t want Mendoza. He has excellent character traits. He’s all about football, and his teammates love him. He’s also highly intelligent.
Despite that, there have been a lot of suggestions that the Raiders trade down from the No. 1 pick. While Kubiak hasn’t done too much research on Mendoza yet, the allure of coaching him had to be part of the reason he wanted to come to Las Vegas.
The only way the Raiders move off of him is if he tests poorly in the pre-draft process. It’s hard to imagine that will be the case. Unless there are health concerns that haven’t been reported yet, the Raiders will almost certainly select Mendoza this year.