The Las Vegas Raiders have been stuck in a quarterback desert for over two decades. Derek Carr prevented the fanbase from dying of thirst entirely, at least momentarily, but the franchise has yet to find an actual long-term supply that will fully quench their desire.
With possession of the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, however, the Raiders' luck is bound to change. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the undisputed choice for Las Vegas after a Heisman Trophy campaign that he capped off with a storybook National Championship run.
Mendoza has the ability to transform this once-great franchise, and the brass in Las Vegas should be feeling the pressure to build things properly around him. Rich Gannon, the last truly impactful player under center for the Silver and Black, gave a full evaluation of Mendoza and his looming NFL leap.
Rich Gannon seems cautiously optimistic about Raiders-Mendoza pairing
Gannon recently spoke on Raider Nation Radio about Mendoza, which The Lead's Luis Mayorga posted on social media. Although a long clip, which we have embedded below, it is worth the listen for Las Vegas fans.
Rich Gannon spoke about Fernando Mendoza on being selected first overall to the #Raiders & the state of the team in 2026.
— Luis Mayorga (@LuisNMayorga) January 28, 2026
“I think the leadership things will come very natural to him. I think physically he has a lot of the skills sets. The other thing is the ability to process… pic.twitter.com/CDwfdgNwOY
Of course, Gannon seems to think that Mendoza has the skill set to thrive at the NFL level, and like all of Raider Nation, he is a fan of his story. He also couldn't say enough about his leadership skills, and when we spoke with Indiana RB Kaelon Black at the Senior Bowl, Black echoed that about Mendoza.
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But making the leap to the NFL isn't just about having the physical tools or a great résumé, as Gannon pointed out. Success can be fleeting if the game isn't approached the right way. Luckily, Mendoza seems to grasp that concept and has a reputation for being an insatiable student of the game.
Building the team around Mendoza will also be critical, as Gannon pointed out. That should start with bolstering the offensive line in both the draft and free agency, adding a top-flight wide receiver, and putting together a defense that can play complementary football.
He'll be under a lot of pressure, especially as a rookie, but Mendoza really is the golden ticket for the Raiders to get out of the decades-long mess that they've been in. He could become the franchise's best quarterback since Rich Gannon, which, unfortunately, isn't really saying much. But it's a start.