The Las Vegas Raiders made one of the least surprising moves in franchise history by selecting Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He will be tasked with leading the Raiders back to greatness after more than two decades of struggles.
Las Vegas did its due diligence, with Klint Kubiak revealing that he became sold on Mendoza after meeting with him during his Pro Day. But they continued to have touch points with Mendoza, as he was the only prospect they held a 30 visit with, as well as a Pro Day, combine, and virtual meeting.
It is safe to say that Raider Nation is excited about the potential of their newest young star. And thankfully, Mendoza is just as excited to land in Las Vegas, sharing that his impression of the organization during the pre-draft process was top-notch.
Fernando Mendoza was impressed with the Las Vegas Raiders during the pre-draft process
The Raiders were clearly impressed with Mendoza during the pre-draft process, which should be obvious after they selected him with the No. 1 overall pick. The quarterback was equally impressed with the organization's leadership brass of Klint Kubiak, John Spytek and Mark Davis.
In the press conference introducing him to Las Vegas, Mendoza shared just how special an organization he believes that he is walking into.
"I'll say it was top-notch," Mendoza said of his time with the Raiders before the draft. "When I came on my top 30 visit, I was blown away with everybody in the building. Top to bottom, you can see some trickle-down effect where everyone's first class. Everyone's first class. That starts with Coach (Klint) Kubiak, Mr. (John) Spytek, Mr. (Mark) Davis, (and) all the other owners. I'm really excited to be a part of this organization and this professionalism and the way that it's detail-oriented, how they give incredible effort and just the process."
It is safe to say that Mendoza's excitement to join the Raiders matches how the fanbase feels about him. Additionally, after a great offseason of roster moves, the situation around him is just about as good as it can get for a No. 1 overall pick.
While each of the previous three top picks was a quarterback, each was thrust into action right away and saw their head coach fired midway through their rookie seasons. Mendoza, on the other hand, will have a first-year coach in Kubiak, who was brought in to get the most out of the rookie.
Furthermore, he will have the opportunity to sit and develop at his own pace, as Las Vegas brought in four-time Pro Bowler Kirk Cousins to serve as the bridge quarterback until Mendoza is ready. While it was long expected that the franchise would select the former Indiana Hoosiers star, Raider Nation should be thrilled that the rookie is perhaps more excited to actually wear the Silver and Black.
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