Outside of a few minor blips, the Oakland and Las Vegas Raiders have been a pitiful franchise for the last 20 years. Not so coincidentally, their lack of success coincides with a lack of an answer at quarterback, which is inarguably the most important position in football. Perhaps in all of sports.
The Silver and Black famously whiffed in the 2007 NFL Draft when they selected LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell with the No. 1 overall pick. Russell ended up being perhaps the biggest bust in league history, as his tenure was littered with poor play and off-the-field issues.
Even worse than Russell not panning out was the ripple effect it had within the organization. Not only could the Raiders not figure out the puzzle under center, but they were scared to even try. They patched the position together with late-rounders and discarded veteran journeyman.
This curse has seemingly been very real for the front office, no matter who has been in charge. Well, Las Vegas is in a position to take a signal-caller with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and all signs point toward that selection being Indiana's Fernando Mendoza.
Months still separate the Raiders from being able to make this pick, and Mendoza hasn't even officially declared for the draft yet. But he is already proving to the fanbase that he'll break the decades-long curse of JaMarcus Russell.
Fernando Mendoza already looks like he'll break Raiders' No. 1 pick curse
To understand why Mendoza will be such a good fit in Las Vegas and break this curse, it is important to understand what made Russell so bad. This may be a bit painful to rehash, but stick with me, Raider Nation.
When Russell was drafted back in 2007, the leadership in Oakland was split. Head coach Lane Kiffin and several others wanted Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson, whereas Al Davis and his contingent were dead set on Russell.
Oakland's quarterback troubles in 2006 were immense, so the Raiders ended up opting for Russell. Obviously, the LSU product ended up flaming out, whereas Johnson went on to have a Hall of Fame career and became an all-time great. But that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Davis, who served as the de facto general manager at the time, was clearly not aligned with Kiffin. This rift in the building was horrible for Russell's development. But that was the least of his or the Raiders' problems.
Russell opened up to The Player's Tribune a few years ago about his lifelong struggles with drug addiction and all that he went through on a personal level during his life, even including the time he spent on the Raiders. He needed support, but in a chaotic building in Oakland, he never got it.
Now, as tragic as that is for Russell, he isn't exactly absolved of blame. He had character concerns coming out of college that the team looked past, and Russell held out for a better contract before ever playing in a game. He has also had several run-ins with the law in his post-playing career.
He also faced accusations of not being committed to the team or even doing simple things like watching film or learning the playbook. Infamous stories have indicated that the Raiders gave him blank cassette tapes to watch, and Russell would make up what he had seen on them.
This isn't meant to dunk on Russell any more than he already has been during his life in the public eye. But it serves as quite a contrast for Mendoza and the situation that he will hopefully be walking into in Las Vegas.
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After the season that the Raiders had in 2025, this version of the team also needs a quarterback. Las Vegas will also have a new coach to pair with a projected rookie signal-caller taken No. 1 overall. But that is where the similarities end.
John Spytek sticking around as the general manager for the Silver and Black will ensure that not only the general manager and the head coach are on the same page, but that the right head coach is selected for Mendoza himself. The Raiders' entire brass was on hand to watch his final college game.
Mendoza is also an entirely different prospect than Russell. Whereas Russell was touted for his incredible size and unbelievable arm strength, he lacked the intangibles. Mendoza is also a big quarterback with a strong arm, but he shines precisely where Russell fell short.
Russell didn't watch film. Mendoza can't wait to bury his head into the tape of his next opponent. Russell wasn't bought into the team. Mendoza is the ultimate team guy. Russell pointed the finger of blame. Mendoza looks through windows for credit and into the mirror for blame.
Whereas Russell made excuses, Mendoza makes plays. Russell didn't make LSU a champion. Mendoza made Indiana one. These two players' similarities start and should end with being the No. 1 overall pick by the Raiders. They are not the same.
What Mendoza doesn't have in terms of being a "freak athlete," he makes up for with supreme intelligence, relentlessness on the field and a crafty or savvy approach to the game that lets his teammates know that Mendoza is, as he has put it, "willing to die on the field," for his brothers.
He doesn't just say this either; he backs it up. Mendoza is an incredibly tough player, and he has a bit of Josh Allen in him, where he seems to love being hit. It fires him up. Mendoza took several hard hits during the National Championship, and even though things didn't go his way, he just kept swinging.
His throwing arm was battered during the game, but he still came through for his team. When Indiana needed him most, Mendoza took matters into his own hands and ensured the Hoosiers' fate as champions. That is who Mendoza is.
Between the cohesive situation he should be walking into, his love for his teammates and preparation, his insatiable desire to be great, and his pure ability to put on the cape and help his team win, Fernando Mendoza should be an incredible quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Things may go wrong. He may face struggles both on and off the field. But Mendoza should find himself surrounded by people in Las Vegas who can help him get through that. The Raiders have been cursed for decades. Mendoza is here to break it.