The Las Vegas Raiders were able to "win" the Tank Bowl, as they suffered a 34-10 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday, falling to 2-14. A loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 18 would ensure that the Raiders land the coveted No. 1 overall pick next April for the first time since 2007.
If they go the route that everyone expects in the 2026 NFL Draft, it would mark the first time they select a quarterback in the first round since drafting JaMarcus Russell. The expectation is that the Raiders would decide between Indiana's Fernando Mendoza and Oregon's Dante Moore.
Many believe that Mendoza, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2025, will ultimately be the selection. A CBS senior columnist is a part of that group, making it clear that he believes the Indiana Hoosiers' quarterback will turn things around in Las Vegas.
CBS analyst predicts that Fernando Mendoza will be the quarterback that Raiders fans have been hoping for
Mendoza is having a tremendous season, as he has led the Hoosiers to their first Big Ten championship since 1967 and the No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoff. In 13 games, he has thrown for 2,980 yards, 33 touchdowns, and just six interceptions.
The Heisman Trophy winner has also completed 71.5% of his passes while adding 240 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground. CBS Sports' Pete Prisco believes that the Indiana star will continue his strong career in Las Vegas and end their brutal quarterback cycle once and for all.
"They are thrilled today that they have the No. 1 overall pick. They sat Maxx Crosby down. Do you think he wanted to play today? Of course he did, but why'd you sit him down? You're tanking. You want the No. 1 overall pick. Well, they got it. Right now, they have it," Prisco said. "Do you think they're going to beat the Chiefs next week? No matter what happens, they're not beating the Chiefs. They want Fernando Mendoza. They're going to get Fernando Mendoza. They're going to have the No. 1 overall pick. And they're going to cure their quarterback problem."
Mendoza has at least one more game left in his college career, and at most three, depending on how Indiana does in the College Football Playoff, as he looks to put the finishing touches on his case to be selected first overall.
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While Raiders fans are hopeful that the decision to sit Crosby doesn't backfire and lead to him asking for a trade, the opportunity to land a franchise quarterback should reinvigorate both the superstar and the fan base.
There will still be work to be done on the offensive line, at wide receiver, and on defense. The chance, however, to add Mendoza to a young offense that includes Brock Bowers, Ashton Jeanty, Tre Tucker, Michael Mayer, Jack Bech, and Dont'e Thornton Jr. is one that Las Vegas can't miss.
While the team would need some of those players to develop further, the young offense would give Raider Nation plenty to be excited about, which is something that hasn't happened for quite some time.
Las Vegas is just one more loss away from securing the top overall pick, and, presumably, drafting a quarterback in the first round for the first time in nearly two decades. Fans are clinging to Prisco's declaration that Mendoza will finally be the one to turn it all around.