Mendoza-Raiders Fit is Perfect to This Draft Expert

All eyes are going to be on the Silver and Black in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Raiders franchise has the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft, and their time is now to take their future quarterback.

The Raiders have the chance to make their pick and make it the player of their choosing. The Raiders are in control of the draft at the top, and it is not going to start until they make their pick. Everyone expects that pick to be Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Mendoza is coming off a tremendous College Football season, where we saw him not only win the Heisman Trophy, but he also led his team to the National Championship and won it. It was the first time in school history that the Indiana Hoosiers had won a football championship.

Mendoza was a huge part of that, and they did it undefeated. Mendoza, with the season he had last season, made himself not only a first-round pick but likely the first overall pick.

mklkm — Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) rushes up the field Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, during the 100th annual Old Oaken Bucket game at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mel Kiper Jr. on Fernando Mendoza

"He [Fernando Mendoza] did everything that you needed to do to solidify that spot [No. 1 overall pick]" said NFL Draft Expert Mel Kiper Jr. on The Rich Eisen Show. Then, at the end of the year, you saw what Fernando Mendoza was able to do and finished it off."

"So he becomes the number one quarterback. Now, it is all about Fernando Mendoza and Klint Kubiak and the Raiders ... You have a quarterback that is worthy of being that high of a pick and being a franchise quarterback that we are expecting Fernando Mendoza to be."

Indiana's Fernando Mendoza (15) gets loose before 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

"He cut down from his sacks dramatically from Cal to this year in Indiana. He got the ball to all those receivers accurately in clutch situations. The decision-making ... was remarkable. Not turning it over. Beating a defense with his legs, as he did in the championship game ... He is so incredibly intelligent, so passionate, so energetic. For the Raiders, Raider Nation, be happy.

"In the AFC West ... with Patrick Mahomes, you think about Justin Herbert and Bo Nix. To get a guy like this for Klint Kubiak, you struck a goal here. This kid is an outstanding, outstanding prospect.

Jan 20, 2026; Miami, FL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza during the CFP Champions press conference at Marriott Marquis Miami. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Raiders and Mendoza now have to wait till April to make it official. The Raiders are going to get their quarterback, finally.

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