The Las Vegas Raiders will take Fernando Mendoza with the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. After that, they need to help their new quarterback out by drafting a wide receiver. Could that wideout be another Indiana football star who just won a national championship with the Hoosiers?
In ESPN’s latest NFL draft intel piece, they asked the question, “What’s the best approach with the remaining picks [after No. 1] to help Fernando Mendoza?
“The best strategy with the remaining nine picks would be bolstering Mendoza’s support system,” Matt Miller writes. “Even though the Raiders took two wide receivers in last year’s draft (Dont’e Thornton Jr. and Jack Bech), it wouldn’t be surprising for them to grab another pass catcher, especially if Denzel Boston (Washington) falls to pick No. 36. Reuniting Mendoza with Elijah Sarratt (Indiana) would also be ideal, and a running back on Day 3 could be a possibility.”
Sarratt is a player Mendoza knows well. The 6-foot-2 1/2, 210-pound wideout had a massive season in 2025 with his quarterback. Sarratt made 65 catches for 830 yards and led the FBS in touchdowns with 15. He isn’t the fastest receiver, and he may struggle with getting separation against press coverage at the next level. But joining back up with his college QB—who knows how to get him the ball—could go a long way to alleviating these concerns early in his career.
You don’t see big-time college QBs and WRs reunite in the NFL all that often. However, when it does happen, the results are usually overwhelmingly positive. A few recent examples of this include Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase (LSU), Tua Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle (Alabama), Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith (Alabama), and Derek Carr and Davante Adams (Fresno State).
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