The Next Step for the Raiders, Kubiak, and Mendoza

The Las Vegas Raiders are widely expected to draft quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. Mendoza will help solidify a Raiders' quarterback position that has had seven different starters in the past three seasons alone.

Raiders' Next Move

It understandably feels that the Raiders are all but guaranteed to draft Mendoza with the top pick. Pairing Mendoza with newly hired head coach Klint Kubiak is a critical part of the Raiders' plan to rebuild their roster, essentially from the ground up, after years of failed signings and draft picks.

Las Vegas entered the offseason with many personnel questions on both their coaching staff and roster. However, Kubiak has already filled out his coaching staff, and the Raiders have already made several notable signings to help bolster their roster at key positions on both sides of the ball.

Many questions have been answered, and many questions still remain about Las Vegas' roster. However, there are few, if any questions at all about what the Raiders should do with the top pick. It is only the second time in the franchise's storied history that they have picked first overall.

There is seemingly no way the Raiders will pass on Mendoza after an impressive body of work on the collegiate level. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer recently explained the next steps for Spytek and the Raiders' front office as they inch closer to finally adding their franchise quarterback.

"The next step actually comes this week. After wrapping up here at the owners' meetings on Tuesday, Spytek and Kubiak will fly to Indiana for Mendoza’s pro day on Wednesday, with Assistant GM Brian] Stark, [college director Brandon] Yeargan, VP of player personnel Brandon Hunt, offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko, and quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan meeting them there," Breer said.

"They’ll watch his workout, with the rest of the team, then have a whiteboard meeting and a dinner with him. Then, next week, the Raiders will bring Mendoza to Vegas on his 30 visit, when they’ll be able to introduce him to those in and around the team, and build off the other meetings, in trying to dot every i and cross every t."

More work undoubtedly needs to be done. However, the progress Las Vegas' front office has made on its roster in a short amount of time must be commended. It will take time to fully build out the Raiders' roster, but they have gotten off to a good start and still have the draft to add talent.

The Raiders have made solid moves this offseason. They will inevitably go through their growing pains in a 2026 season with many new moving parts. Still, on paper, their rebuild looks to be slightly ahead of schedule. Mendoza's arrival will only help speed things up even more.