Fernando Mendoza May Have Just Ended the No. 1 Pick Debate at Pro Day

It was never really in doubt. The Las Vegas Raiders are going to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. For anyone who was still questioning the inevitable outcome, Mendoza solidified it at Indiana's Pro Day on Wednesday.

Mendoza bypassed an opportunity to participate in throwing drills at the NFL Combine. The Raiders took advantage of his physical presence in Indianapolis by holding a formal interview with him. When it comes to actually watching Mendoza perform during the pre-draft process, the Raiders were forced to wait until Indiana's athletic showcase.

Unsurprisingly, the Raiders sent a large contingent to Bloomington, with many from their brass traveling directly to Indiana from the annual ownership meetings in Phoenix. The group included general manager John Spytek, head coach Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko and quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan, among other front-office executives. Mendoza left the Raiders with no doubt that he's their franchise quarterback of the future.

Excellent Pro Day Confirms Raiders Will Take Fernando Mendoza At No. 1 Overall In 2026 NFL Draft

The Raiders will hold a whiteboard meeting and dinner with Mendoza following the pro day performance, Albert Breer reported. Call it due diligence. By selecting Mendoza at No. 1 overall, the Raiders will guarantee him roughly $50 million. Given the size of the financial commitment, even one as no-brainer as this one, you take advantage of the entire process to vet the human being.

That's precisely what the Raiders are doing. They'll leave Mendoza's pro day as pleased as possible, with another box checked. The Raiders will then host Mendoza on his in-person draft visit later this month, where he'll spend hours meeting with various staffing members (again) and touring their facility. The Tennessee Titans underwent a similar process when they selected quarterback Cam Ward at No. 1 overall a year ago.

And like Ward last year, the decision should internally be finalized after pro day. The reigning Heisman Trophy and National Championship winner put on a show. Mendoza threw the football with touch, poise, accuracy, and velocity, completing 53-of-56 passes with two drops, per Jeff Howe. Essentially every ball was driven with precision, with Mendoza handling the pre-determined script with comfort and ease while throwing the ball to familiar targets.

It's rare a quarterback of Mendoza's talent doesn't ace his pro day given its controlled environment nature. Nonetheless, the Raiders had expectations and Mendoza undoubtedly met them. It's another step towards making him the No. 1 overall selection.

The Raiders made some poor decisions last offseason when they hired Pete Carroll and traded for Geno Smith. Luckily for them, their terrible 3-14 season has a payoff. Mendoza has continued to prove he's deserving of being the top pick.

The Raiders will select Mendoza with conviction.