Tom Brady and the Las Vegas Raiders have apparently made their much-awaited 2026 Draft decision. All the signs point towards their only choice for the No 1 pick - Indiana Hoosiers star Fernando Mendoza. The 22-year-old, too, seems interested to join an offense led by Klint Kubiak and is already training for the upcoming season.
Brady, who has a 10% ownership stake of the Raiders, has already shown interest in Mendoza. And it is the seven-time Super Bowl winner's former teammate, Brian Griese, who is training the youngster.
Mendoza is scheduled to visit Las Vegas this week as part of the league’s Top 30 prospect program, where teams conduct in-depth evaluations. However, insiders suggest this visit carries a different tone.
‘Just a formality’
“This feels kinda less like a formality and more like a preview of what’s to come,” Alex Belcastro said. “So take a good look at your quarterback. Reports say Fernando Mendoza has already started learning Klint Kubiak’s offense ahead of the draft.”
ESPN analyst Daniel Jeremiah, meanwhile, revealed that Mendoza is already being prepped in the Raiders’ offensive scheme.
“Fernando Mendoza is working with Brian Griese right now, and it’s not so much that they’re working on footwork,” Jeremiah said, per SB Nation. “They’re installing the Raiders’ offense. He’s full speed ahead.”
What Fernando Mendoza brings to the table
Mendoza’s rise has been driven by a standout lone season at Indiana, where he led the program to a perfect 16-0 record and its first national championship. His numbers underline the hype: 3,535 passing yards, 41 touchdowns (an FBS high), and just six interceptions on 273 completions.
What happens next
The draft, set for April 23–25 in Pittsburgh, is now fast approaching. With Mendoza already immersing himself in the Raiders’ playbook and preparing for his visit, the process appears to be shifting from evaluation to preparation.
2026 AP Mock Draft picks
Las Vegas Raiders — Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana)
New York Jets — Arvell Reese (EDGE, Ohio State)
Arizona Cardinals — Francis Mauigoa (OT, Miami)
Tennessee Titans — David Bailey (EDGE, Texas Tech)
New York Giants — Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State)
Cleveland Browns — Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State)
Washington Commanders — Rueben Bain Jr. (EDGE, Miami)
New Orleans Saints — Mansoor Delane (CB, LSU)
Kansas City Chiefs — Spencer Fano (OT, Utah)
Cincinnati Bengals — Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State)
Miami Dolphins — Makai Lemon (WR, USC)
Dallas Cowboys — Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame)
Los Angeles Rams — Jordon Tyson (WR, Arizona State)
Baltimore Ravens — Olaivavega Ioane (G, Penn State)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Keldric Faulk (EDGE, Auburn)
New York Jets — Ty Simpson (QB, Alabama)
Detroit Lions — Kadyn Proctor (OT, Alabama)
Minnesota Vikings — Dillon Thieneman (S, Oregon)
Carolina Panthers — Kenyon Sadiq (TE, Oregon)
Dallas Cowboys — Jermod McCoy (CB, Tennessee)
Pittsburgh Steelers — Blake Miller (OT, Clemson)
Los Angeles Chargers — Akheem Mesidor (EDGE, Miami)
Philadelphia Eagles — Caleb Lomu (OT, Utah)
Cleveland Browns — Denzel Boston (WR, Washington)
Chicago Bears — Cashius Howell (EDGE, Texas A&M)
Buffalo Bills — Zion Young (EDGE, Missouri)
San Francisco 49ers — Monroe Freeling (OT, Georgia)
Houston Texans — Kayden McDonald (DT, Ohio State)
Kansas City Chiefs — Avieon Terrell (CB, Clemson)
Miami Dolphins — T.J. Parker (EDGE, Clemson)
New England Patriots — Max Iheanachor (OT, Arizona State)
Seattle Seahawks — Brandon Cisse (CB, South Carolina)
Yash Nitish Bajaj
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More
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