We aren't even to the Senior Bowl yet, but we can say with some confidence who the Las Vegas Raiders will take with the first overall pick in the 2026 draft. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has become the clear choice, and team brass will get a close look at him during Monday night's national championship game.
Of course as we move through the pre-draft process, Mendoza will draw plenty of comparisons to NFL quarterbacks of the past or present. Next to all of the mock drafts we see in the months leading up to the draft, player comps are a close second on the evaluation scale, to give fans who are just getting familar with incoming players some kind of a reference point.
At this early stage, even though he has more mobility than those guys, Mendoza has drawn comps like Matt Ryan, Jared Goff and Kirk Cousins.
If Mendoza ends up having an NFL career like any of those three had or have had, and he spends most of it in Silver and Black, the Raiders would certainly take it if they make him the No. 1 overall pick.
Fernando Mendoza comp may leave Raiders fans conflicted
As part of his video-based work for Bleacher Report, Pro Football Focus draft analyst Trevor Sikkema recently offered NFL comps for the top quarterback prospects in the 2026 draft.
Mendoza of course led things off.
"Let's take a look at Fernando Mendoza", Sikkema said. "He is the crown jewel of this class, most likely going to go No. 1 overall."
"Let's talk about a pro comp for him. The early pro comp that I like for him...what we've seen recently, from Sam Darnold. I feel like both of them are built decently similarly, they've got a little bit of plus athleticism. I wouldn't say that they're dual threat quarterbacks, but they are guys who can give you a little bit with their legs as well."
Sikkema then noted comments in the video chat that offered comps for Mendoza like Baker Mayfield, Cousins, Trevor Lawrence, Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert. Ultimately, it was fair to settle in the ilk of Cousins, Ryan and Goff but with more mobility. Which is essentially what Darnold is, with the obvious tilt toward how well the former top-five overall pick has played the last two seasons.
Former NFL quarterback Kurt Benkert has also offered Darnold as a comp for Mendoza, so Sikkema is not on an island there.
RELATED: Raiders set to meet thrilling HC candidate hours before watching Fernando Mendoza
Darnold's name landed on the radar of the Raiders and Raider Nation last offseason, before he signed with the Seattle Seahawks in free agency. A report, months later, said minority owner Tom Brady was not on-board with signing Darnold as a free agent.
The kind of success Darnold found with the Seahawks this season wouldn't have been easy to replicate in very many places. If he had signed with the Raiders, it probably would've been a disaster for him.
On one hand, Raiders fans can wonder what might have been if Darnold had been their quarterback this season instead of Geno Smith. But on the other hand they can be glad he wasn't, as things finallycompletely bottomed-out and the No. 1 overall pick was earned.
Hopefully the best version of Darnold, if multiple analysts insist on offering that as a comp, is what Mendoza is immediately when he (presumably) becomes the Raiders' next quarterback. Starting his career like Darnold started his is just too scary to think about, for everyone involved.