The Las Vegas Raiders made it clear with their performance in Week 5 against the Indianapolis Colts that they would not amount to much during the 2025 NFL season. Geno Smith's turnover and sack-prone play had been the biggest contributor to the team's 1-4 start and three blowout losses.
Raider Nation has been starved for a star player under center since Rich Gannon's MVP season in 2002. Most of the fan base felt that Smith would be the best quarterback the franchise has had since Gannon's heyday, but after just five weeks, they're calling for him to be benched.
Unfortunately, because the Raiders, as an organization, simply refuse to draft quarterbacks in the first round, they have no credible succession plan on the roster. This leaves them needing to take a young signal-caller early in the 2026 NFL Draft as they look to start fresh yet again.
Raiders draft Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza in latest 2026 mock draft
On Monday morning, Nicholas Rome of Saturday Blitz released a mock draft in which Las Vegas finds a suitable replacement for Smith. With the projected No. 6 overall pick, Rome had the Raiders selecting superstar Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
"The Raiders made a big gamble this offseason bringing in Pete Carroll, who brought Geno Smith to Las Vegas, but, thus far, the move for Smith has been a flop," Rome wrote. "The Raiders eventually need to find their quarterback of the future, and in this draft, they should take a swing on Indiana star Fernando Mendoza."
Mendoza is a monstrous 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, and the left-handed quarterback is a dual-threat player. He's completed 73.0% of his passes this season for 1,208 yards and 16 touchdowns, and Mendoza has improved upon his turnover-worthy throws, tossing just one interception in five games.
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He's also run 30 times already this season, totaling 102 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Some NFL Draft scouting gurus even have Mendoza listed as the top quarterback in next year's draft class, as the mobile pocket passer has drawn comparisons to Jared Goff.
His arm strength is not necessarily top-tier, but he's highly accurate, has great pocket presence and can extend plays both with his arm and his legs. Mendoza is also a cerebral player, as he processes things quickly and uses his eyes and pump fakes to manipulate the defense. He'll also hang tough in the pocket and deliver throws under pressure.
The Raiders have not drafted a quarterback in the first round of the draft since JaMarcus Russell in 2007. It's time for the franchise to get over the sting of this draft bust and take a swing at a young quarterback. Mendoza seems like a great player to take the mantle from Smith right away in 2026.