Shocking Jets Draft Day Mock Trade Makes No Sense for Raiders

The Raiders are very unlikely to entertain trade offers for the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft...

Indiana's Fernando Mendoza (15) smiles as he celebrates after the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New York Jets have the No. 2 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, which is usually a great thing for a team that needs a quarterback, but they might be out of luck.

Fernando Mendoza is the only top of the first round talent quarterback in the upcoming NFL draft and he's expected to go No. 1 overall. This leaves the Jets with a slew of defensive stars to select at pick No. 2.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox recently put together a shocking mock trade that would send the Jets' No. 2 and No. 16 picks in the first round to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for the No. 1 overall pick. But this idea doesn't make any sense for the Raiders.

Raiders unlikely to consider trading the No. 1 overall pick

Indiana's Fernando Mendoza (15) scores a touchdown during the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Three years ago, the Chicago Bears shook up the offseason by trading the No. 1 overall pick—and the chance to draft Bryce Young—to the Carolina Panthers during the early offseason," Knox wrote. "The Las Vegas Raiders could make a similar move this offseason by opting to pass on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and dealing the top pick."

This year feels like a much different situation than when the Chicago Bears traded away the No. 1 overall pick. The Bears had recently selected a first round quarterback and didn't need Bryce Young. The Raiders don't have a quarterback and they desperately need Mendoza, though Knox believes the pre-draft process could cause Las Vegas to rethink this idea.

"However, the pre-draft process is only just getting underway," Knox wrote. "The Raiders could decide after interviews and further study that Mendoza isn't the sort of 'sure thing' worth passing up extra draft capital to get. They may choose to build up their supporting cast first and find a quarterback later."

It would take some drastic news for the Raiders to lose interest in Mendoza at pick No. 1. At that point, if something so drastic was to happen, the Jets might not want to select him either.

This idea doesn't make much sense. The Raiders will almost certainy select Mendoza with the top pick in the draft, end of discussion.

More NFL: NFL Mock Draft: Jets Land Star Defender Instead of Arvell Reese