The Las Vegas Raiders badly need a quarterback. Luckily, there are two young signal-callers projected to be picked near the very top of the board in the 2026 NFL Draft. Las Vegas can't fall beyond the No. 2 pick. As bad a season as it has been, it is not the worst time to be a Raiders fan.
There is a debate currently going on within Raider Nation about whether Indiana's Fernando Mendoza or Oregon's Dante Moore should be the one chosen to turn this franchise around if John Spytek and Co. truly have their pick of the two in April.
While Moore fared well in the Ducks' win against a mighty Texas Tech defense on Thursday morning in the Orange Bowl, Mendoza took the field for the Hoosiers against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl and basically sent a loud message to the Raiders with his play to make him their No. 1 pick.
Fernando Mendoza just showed Raiders why he's the No. 1 pick
Mendoza's stats on New Year's Day won't blow anyone away: he completed 14-of-16 passes for 192 yards, 3 touchdowns and zero interceptions. He also ran 8 times for 16 yards, his longest rush being 12 yards, showcasing his dual-threat ability. These aren't video game numbers, but they're still great.
But it's not about the stat sheet for Mendoza. He just makes the right play, seemingly all the time. He does the little things like sell himself as the runner in an option play, look off defenders to open up his pass-catchers, and Mendoza comes through all the time in clutch situations for the Hoosiers.
Yes, he can make practically every throw on the field, too. Mendoza's ability to maintain his accuracy while on the move and find crevices in the defense when pressured and flushed out of the pocket is incredible as well. But his work in the red zone is top-notch, which he showcased again.
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This season, according to ESPN's Jordan Reid, Mendoza has an astonishing 31 touchdowns, six of them on the ground, and zero interceptions in the red zone. He may have made some minor mistakes inside the 20-yard line, but he has eliminated disaster and finds the end zone better than anyone.
Another great thing about Mendoza is that he can play the superhero role and take matters into his own hands. But he is also completely fine with letting his teammates shine and doing all he can to support the run game and make life easier for the offense, as well as harder on the opposing defense.
For being such a great player, Mendoza seemingly has no ego. He truly possesses every necessary trait to be a franchise quarterback, from his ability to make every throw, his escapability and mobility, and his supreme intelligence and maturity. There's no way he'd be a distraction in Las Vegas.
With another strong showing against Alabama in the Rose Bowl, Mendoza made an incredibly strong case for the Raiders to select him No. 1 overall, if they have the honor to do so. This message was loud and clear, and Las Vegas absolutely cannot ignore it. They may never have this chance again.