The pre-draft meeting with Fernando Mendoza in Las Vegas indicates the direction in which the franchise is heading. Kirk Cousins is already on the roster, Tom Brady is involved in significant franchise decisions, and owner Mark Davis has made it clear that holding the top selection is an opportunity rather than a guarantee, and this last point is super important for them.
Having the first pick gives the Raiders control, but that control is meaningless if the rest of the draft is treated like an afterthought.
Therefore, the smartest move for them is to select Mendoza first overall and then use their additional picks to move back into the end of Round 1 to secure a tackle.
At first glance, this may seem like an aggressive approach, but it’s actually a sound draft strategy, and the Raiders are not starting from scratch because they have ten total selections, including the top overall pick, an early second-round pick, another choice in Day 2, three fourth-round selections, two sixth-round picks, and additional flexibility from trades and compensatory selections.
This gives the front office ample resources to execute more than one major move if they dare to do so, and many fan bases make the same mistake when they have the first overall pick: they focus solely on the quarterback.
Every mock draft turns into a debate about the quarterback, and discussions become centered around whether he should start immediately, and this feeling can cause the significance of the rest of the draft to diminish in people’s minds, as if the entire weekend concludes after the commissioner announces the first pick.
They cannot afford to think this way.
A rookie quarterback, especially one joining a team that already has Cousins, needs more than just fanfare and a jersey presentation. He needs support, structure, and a coaching staff that isn’t forced to adapt under pressure by mid-season, and while it might be reasonable to draft Mendoza and then wait for the 36th pick, this approach leaves too much to chance.
The bolder move is that they need to secure the quarterback first, then leverage the strength of the entire draft class to create a stronger foundation for him before the first night concludes.
Build the draft around Mendoza
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Quarterback classes have a way of distorting everything around them, and when one passer rises, another may fall; some teams panic, while others convince themselves of the potential upside.
Suddenly, the entire top of the board becomes less about pure player quality and more about the gravitational influence of the quarterback position, and the Raiders do not face this issue as they prepare for the draft.
They have the first pick and do not need to guess how the draft room will react because they get to dictate the flow of the draft, and this position of power is valuable, especially when considered alongside the current state of their quarterback room.
The addition of Kirk Cousins constructively changes the narrative as he doesn’t have to be the franchise’s long-term solution to make a significant impact. Cousins’ veteran presence would allow Mendoza to start only when he’s truly ready, rather than being rushed into action due to impatience, and more importantly, having a reliable veteran bridge alleviates the pressure on the Raiders to make hasty quarterback decisions later in the draft.
They can avoid reaching for a Day 2 backup or unnecessarily doubling down on their quarterback situation, enabling them to focus on acquiring a standout player and then addressing his supporting cast.
This principle should guide their strategy because once Mendoza is secured, the Raiders should shift their mindset from being a team that has solved the quarterback dilemma to one that is just beginning to build around him.
Too many franchises mistakenly treat a top quarterback selection as the complete solution, and in reality, it raises new questions: How soon can he play? How much of his development will be spent on actual growth versus just avoiding injury?
All of this leads to the conclusion that the next priority in the draft should be protection, and this needs to happen before the second night progresses too far. Waiting to address this can be risky because tackle runs are one of the most predictable occurrences in the draft, and no one seems to panic about tackles until the first wave begins.
At that point, teams that thought they could wait may feel compelled to trade up, and a prospect who seemed available at the 30th pick might vanish by the 24th.
Another player might go earlier than anticipated as the front office prioritizes long-term offensive line protection over public rankings, and smart teams anticipate this chaos, while poor teams complain about it afterward. They have enough draft capital to anticipate and react appropriately.
Moving up from the early second round into the latter part of the first round wouldn’t be an extravagant stunt, and it would be a strategic use of surplus assets.
With three fourth-round picks, two sixth-round picks, and another early Day 2 selection, they have the flexibility to consolidate and make a move without depleting their draft class.
Additionally, there is a compelling reason for making such a leap: fifth-year options for premium positions like tackle are extremely valuable, and if the Raiders can secure a quality tackle, it provides years of cost-controlled stability at one of the most challenging positions to fill in football.
This represents a more strategic use of first-round resources compared to investing in positions where the advantages of the contract are less pronounced, and in summary, draft strategy is not solely about acquiring players; it’s also about recognizing when certain positions are worth targeting.
Turn the first night into a foundation
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A top quarterback pick creates excitement, and when paired with a move back into the first round for his left tackle, or right tackle, depending on where the best value lies, it transforms excitement into strategy. This kind of opening night can change the entire mood of a franchise.
Imagine the ripple effects: Mendoza enters training camp knowing that the organization did not just draft him, as it immediately built around him. Coaches gain more freedom with the offense because the protection is stronger, and Cousins, if he starts the season, will also benefit, making the transition year smoother rather than awkward.
Receivers will have a better environment to thrive, and running backs won’t be stuck in second-and-long situations due to edge pressure disrupting their initial plays. While none of this is glamorous, it is all very real, and it is a crucial draft decision.
One common mistake people make with the top pick is assuming that the choice itself must define the entire draft class, and this is not the case. Great drafts often succeed because a team follows the obvious move with a smart one, and the obvious move here may be to select Mendoza. Fine, make that choice.
The intelligent move is recognizing that a quarterback should not be treated as a standalone event, because he should be the center of a broader plan.
Las Vegas has the resources to create that plan, and few teams picking high in the draft also possess enough extra selections to maneuver creatively without jeopardizing the entire weekend.
The Raiders do, making this strategy more than just a pipe dream, and it’s not unrealistic at all, because it’s about seizing the opportunity while others may become fixated on the quarterback conversation and neglect the full potential of their draft board.
Could the Raiders simply take Mendoza and wait for Friday? Of course. Many would see that as a responsible approach, but a more ambitious route exists. Act decisively, take control of the top of the draft, and then target opportunities before someone else does.
What matters most is not the specific name chosen, the mock-draft drama, or even whether Mendoza starts in Week 1 or sits behind Cousins for a while. What’s crucial is that they approach the draft as a cohesive opportunity rather than just as one big headline followed by a series of smaller tasks.
A franchise at the very top of the draft holds unique power, and smart organizations leverage that power to shape the entire weekend, not just the first few minutes of it.
So yes, the bold but brilliant move is that the Raiders need to draft the quarterback everyone expects, and then, before the opening round concludes, secure his protector.
That is how a top pick can serve as the foundation of a plan rather than being the entirety of it.
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