Although the card hasn't been turned in yet, and over two months still separate the Las Vegas Raiders from the 2026 NFL Draft, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza will be the No. 1 overall pick when the event starts. This is, of course, barring some nefarious, unforeseen circumstance.
But as it stands now, Mendoza will be their pick. Jason Fitz told Q Myers on Unnecessary Roughness that the Raiders' head coaching search practically centered around who they felt had the best plan for the incoming rookie quarterback.
While it is important that the higher-ups in the organization are aligned on the young player coming in, it will also be critical for Mendoza to ingratiate himself with his teammates. Star running back Ashton Jeanty seems to already have some high praise for Mendoza, so he's off to a great start.
Raiders' Ashton Jeanty had high praise for Fernando Mendoza
Jeanty spoke with CBS Sports during media sessions ahead of Super Bowl LX about the reported hiring of Klint Kubiak, the Seattle Seahawks' offensive coordinator. While he praised that move, and rightfully so, the obvious next question was about Mendoza, the team's presumed next quarterback.
When asked about Mendoza's character and how the Indiana product may fit into the culture and the locker room in Las Vegas, Jeanty made his stance clear.
"I think that his character can fit into any locker room," Jeanty said. "Just by what I've seen, he's a great guy. He's humble. Obviously, he's hardworking. He's worked his way up to where he's at now. Nobody knew his name a couple years ago, and now he's one of the top prospects. The hard work, the dedication, the discipline, the focus is definitely there."
Mendoza has a great reputation for being a high-character guy and a great teammate. His college teammate, Kaelon Black, told Just Blog Baby at the 2026 Panini Senior that what you see is what you get with Mendoza. It seems like Jeanty has picked up on that vibe as well.
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The follow-up question for Jeanty was about Mendoza as a player. When asked if seeing Mendoza aid the Hoosiers' rise from the bottom to the very top is inspiring for those in the Raiders' locker room, and if that gives them confidence that they can have a similar turnaround, Jeanty didn't hesitate.
"100%. It's great to see that in somebody," Jeanty said. "And those are the type of people that we need in the building. We need more guys who know what it's like to work their way up and just to take it day by day. Just bring a different mentality into the locker room."
Obviously, the fanbase has been on board with Mendoza, practically since October or November. Apparently, the front office and head coach are seeing eye-to-eye on Mendoza being the No. 1 pick as well. But it also matters a ton to hear Jeanty praise Mendoza like this.
Jeanty was never going to bash Mendoza publicly or intentionally try to undersell him, but the fact that he gushed about the projected No. 1 pick should tell Raider Nation all they need to know about the kind of guy they'll be getting come April.