The Las Vegas Raiders are just over 24 hours away from being on the clock for the 2026 NFL Draft, where they will have the number one overall pick. At that spot, the Raiders are widely expected to take Indiana quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, who just finished leading the Hoosiers to a shocking national championship run.
Now, Raiders insider Hondo Carpenter of Sports Illustrated has broken down just how special Mendoza has been in the Raiders’ eyes in their pre-draft process.
“I really applaud Fernando. He was… more impressive than they thought, and that’s pretty impressive to me. Hats off to that kid, he’s earned every single thing he’s gotten, and he has not taken the easy way anywhere, and I think that’s going to make him an even better NFL quarterback, and I think it shows us a lot about his ability. I think it shows us a lot about his character and who he is,” said Hondo, per a video posted to his account on X, formerly Twitter.
Mendoza has long been lauded for his leadership skills, as well as his on-field play, which culminated in an undefeated season for Indiana this past year, along with a Heisman Trophy win for the star quarterback.
Mendoza will now be joining (probably) a Raiders team that was the worst in the NFL this past season, having already parted ways with quarterback Geno Smith in a reunion with the New York Jets, and signed former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins to a deal in free agency.
It remains to be seen whether it will be Cousins or Mendoza who gets the start in Week 1, but there’s little doubt about who the long term face of the franchise will be in Las Vegas.
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