Revisiting Raiders' 2026 NFL Draft: What Vegas is getting out of Fernando Mendoza, what's next

Sitting behind Kirk Cousins was always the initial plan, but the Raiders may soon be pressed to start the No. 1 overall selection With the No. 1 overall selection, the Las Vegas Raiders were faced with a decision between Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and the top-rated non-quarterback prospect. The franchise started anew with first-year head coach Klint Kubiak and Mendoza. The Raiders invested in his development before he was ever officially a member of the organization. In addition to hiring Kubiak, an offensive-minded head coach who had proven his mettle by guiding Sam Darnold to the Super Bowl, the team signed free agent center Tyler Linderbaum to a market-setting deal and veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to alleviate any pressure to start the rookie too early.

Was the franchise justified in spending the No. 1 overall selection on Mendoza? The plan was always to sit Mendoza for an extended period of time, so his lack of playing time to this point is not a reflection of his performance. Mendoza saw his first meaningful action in a decisive loss to the Patriots earlier this month. In a game that had already been decided, Las Vegas elected to sit veteran Kirk Cousins and insert the No. 1 overall selection during the fourth quarter. Mendoza completed 6-of-8 pass attempts for 48 yards, but there