Three Indiana Standouts Who Could Power the Raiders’ Turnaround in 2026

HENDERSON, Nev.—The Las Vegas Raiders are on the precipice of an enormous opportunity to reset the once-feared Silver and Black brand after two decades of mediocrity.

Who would have known that just a few months ago, the worst college football program of all time, the Indiana Hoosiers, could be the catalyst of change that could potentially reset the franchise, and as a jet rocket propel it back to relevance on the vast landscape of the National Football League.

Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (16) and defensive back D'Angelo Ponds (5) celebrate with the trophy after defeating the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Hoosier Raiders?

There are three Indiana Hoosiers who could significantly impact in 2026.

Today, on our latest episode of the Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast, we welcome a long-time Indiana Hoosiers insider who knows these three men and discusses what each man would offer Raider Nation.

Watch the Podcast Below:

Fernando Mendoza, QB

The talented gunslinger Fernando Mendoza is highly accurate, mentally sharp, athletically underrated, and has a football IQ that is through the roof. He is the presumed favorite ot bring his Heisman Trophy to the desert.

We have reported that the Raiders number one overall pick is coveted, and has the most value since Trevor Lawrence was selected out of Clemson.

Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) with quarterbacks coach Chandler Whitmer against the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Chandler Whitmer, Co-Offensive Coordinator & QB Coach

We broke the story about the Chandler Whitmers’ name being linked to the Raiders. His resume reads like a who’s who of multiple young quarterbacks, and his work with Mendoza over the last year has been nothing short of stunning.

I asked GM John Spytek if he planned to let the next coach hire his own staff. He was very straightforward.

Spytek told me, "I want to turn that over to the coach. I mean, we're going to have a lot of great conversations about who, why, where. There's going to be a lot of great football conversations. But my belief has always been you give a lot of the responsibility to the head coach to hire the staff that he wants to hire. It's who reports to him and who he works with every day."

I can assure you that Spytek is committed to that. But Chandler Whitmer’s name is being bandied about by numerous people, from inside the franchise, the NFL, and college football, including at Indiana.

ONE OF THE GREATEST CATCHES YOU’LL EVER SEE

OMAR COOPER JRpic.twitter.com/Cet0qjVORu
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) November 8, 2025

Per Indiana, Whitmer, “He helped Justin Fields (Ohio State) and Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) grow into NFL Draft picks at the collegiate level, tutored Justin Herbert (Los Angeles) to NFL success, and developed Michael Penix Jr. (Atlanta) into an NFL starting quarterback.”

Additionally, “Whitmer spent the past four seasons in the National Football League with the Los Angeles Chargers (2021-23) as an offensive quality control assistant and the Atlanta Falcons (2024) as the pass game specialist. In both roles, he worked primarily with the quarterback position.”

Omar Cooper, WR

The Silver and Black need wide receivers, and who better to add for your number one overall pick gunslinger than his security blanket and highlight reel teammate in Omar Cooper.

According to sources, the Raiders have taken a long look at Cooper, and similar to Bengals QB Joe Burrow and WR Ja’Marr Chase (LSU teammates), this could be a perfect hit.

Per PFSN on Cooper, “At 6’0″, 201 pounds, Cooper is a uniquely built WR prospect with great compact mass and powerful lower-body explosion packed up, but he also has the playing leverage and natural sink to redirect and re-channel acceleration through transitions. His primary two modes are as a RAC threat — with his elite explosiveness, speed, fast RAC transitions, and contact balance — and as a deep threat with his field-stretching range, body control, and sure hands — but he also flashes promise as a route runner on double-moves and short clearance concepts, using head fakes and stacked hip transitions to surge into space.”

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