It goes without saying that the focal point of the Las Vegas Raiders' rebuild is quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Although Klint Kubiak has an entire team to coach, and John Spytek has a whole franchise to manage, what is best for the young signal-caller should always be at the forefront of their minds.
For a lot of people, that meant reuniting Mendoza with one of his college pass-catchers, like Omar Cooper Jr. or Elijah Sarratt. But Cooper Jr. barely fell out of the Raiders' grasp, and Las Vegas passed on Sarratt, despite Spytek having the liberty to take him atop Round 4.
But the Raiders have already made it up to Mendoza. Immediately after the conclusion of the 2026 NFL Draft, in which Las Vegas had 10 selections across the seven rounds, the front office signed a pair of former Indiana Hoosiers, reconnecting them with the Raiders' franchise quarterback.
Las Vegas Raiders sign Fernando Mendoza's Indiana teammate Roman Hemby as UDFA
According to his agency, Equity Sports, former Indiana running back Roman Hemby signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Las Vegas Raiders. NFL insider Jordan Schultz also confirmed that former Hoosiers wideout EJ Williams will be joining them.
Hemby, after four solid seasons at Maryland, transferred across the Big Ten and joined forces with Mendoza at Indiana. Hemby ran for 1,120 yards and 7 touchdowns, averaging 4.9 yards per attempt, en route to a National Championship. The Hoosiers' run game was a key fixture in winning the title.
He also contributed in the passing game, as Hemby and Mendoza connected on 17 passes that went for 165 yards, which is just south of 10 yards per reception. Hemby had a Round 5 or 6 grade and shockingly went undrafted, but the Raiders, and Mendoza, in particular, stand to benefit from that.
Williams, although much less heralded than Cooper Jr. or Sarratt, was an important piece of the Hoosiers' offense as well. He caught 36 of Mendoza's passes for 438 yards and six touchdowns, and Williams came through in several big moments during Indiana's 2025 season.
While neither of these players is a lock to make the roster, in fact, far from it, the Raiders are proving their commitment to making Mendoza comfortable with these additions. They couldn't get one of his teammates in the draft, but they made a pair of them a priority on the free agent market.
If these three players can bring some of that championship pedigree into the building in Las Vegas, then whether they're on the roster, the practice squad, or merely a training camp body, they should make an impact on the Raiders.
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