The Las Vegas Raiders face uncertainty after the trade of Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens fell through.
The Raiders were set to add a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and another in 2027 in exchange for Crosby. But the Ravens backed out of the deal over concerns about Crosby’s health status, per The Athletic.
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There is one almost-certain thing the Raiders can count on, though. Come April, they will choose Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the draft.
MORE: Raiders might keep Maxx Crosby now, here’s why
Former NFL quarterback and analyst Matt Hasselbeck shared his thoughts on Mendoza during a Wednesday appearance on ESPN’s “The Rich Eisen Show.” Hasselbeck said Mendoza reminds him of a former teammate, four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Andrew Luck.
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“I love Fernando Mendoza,” Hasselbeck said. “He’s a likable, lovable kid. He’s a self-described goober. But he’s just got an authenticity to him that I believe plays in the locker room.
“I backed up Andrew Luck for three years in Indianapolis at the end of my career. And he’s one of the greatest leaders that I was ever around in a locker room. Part of that reason was that he just really embraced who he was, that authentic, Nerd Nation, Stanford kind of guy. And I think there’s a couple of things that always play well in the locker room: if you’re the hardest-working person that you could possibly be, if you’re excellent at your craft and if you are authentic 24/7. I think Fernando’s got those qualities.”
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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) and tackle Anthony Castonzo (74) shared a moment in the final seconds of a playoff win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Syndication: Indianapolis Star via Imagn Images.
Mendoza led Indiana to the first national championship in school history. He completed 72 percent of his passes for 3,535 yards, an FBS-leading 41 touchdowns and six interceptions during his lone season in Bloomington.
If Mendoza goes No. 1 to the Raiders, he will join Luck as a top overall pick. The Indianapolis Colts selected Luck No. 1 in the 2012 draft. Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy, while Luck twice finished second in Heisman balloting with the Stanford Cardinal.
Luck made the Pro Bowl and led the Colts to 11-5 records and the playoffs in each of his first three seasons. Injuries plagued him after that, causing him to retire at age 29 after earning a Pro Bowl nod and winning the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year award in 2018.
Time will tell if Mendoza can reverse the Raiders’ fortunes. According to Hasselbeck, he has the intangibles to lead Las Vegas back to Super Bowl contention.
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