Why Mendoza is the Next Logical Piece of Raiders' Rebuild

The Las Vegas Raiders are poised to take the next step in revamping their offense.

Indiana's Fernando Mendoza (15) looks downfield 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

Through the front office and coaching instability the Las Vegas Raiders have had over the past five years, they have started to put together an offense that could eventually compete with the high-powered offenses in the AFC West and beyond. Las Vegas has fixable issues and resources to do so.

Raiders' Puzzle Pieces

The Raiders' roster has some of the necessary pieces of the puzzle, but few of them connect. While it is possible to see what the Raiders' puzzle of a roster can be, it is undoubtedly missing the most important things. Quarterback, offensive line and wide receivers power offenses.

Las Vegas currently has a subpar collection of players at all three of those positions but are in prime position to take care of all three this offseason. Assuming the bring in the right batch of players at those three positions and tweak the defense, anything is possible moving forward for the Raiders.

Indiana's Fernando Mendoza (15) smiles on the podium 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 Raiders are likely to select Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick, which should legitimately eliminate quarterback as a need for Las Vegas. It has been a long while since quarterback was a non-issue for the Raiders.

Draft expert Mel Kiper believes Mendoza and the Raiders are a lock to happen on draft night.

Dec 28, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) throws in the third quarter against the New York Giants at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“Think about the biggest games, the Big Ten Championship against Ohio State, the three playoff games. He had 10 touchdowns and only one pick with a 74% completion percentage. This kid is ready for the NFL because he benefitted from 35 starts,”Kiper said. 

“He’ll be 23 in October. Think about the Raiders and that division and the AFC in general with all those great quarterbacks. This is a heck of a place to start [for the Raiders]. The future with Mendoza would look bright for Raider Nation. I’d lock it in with pen, with exclamation points," Kiper said.

Jan 4, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek reacts during the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Raiders and Mendoza appear to be the perfect match, as the Raiders look to take the next step in what they have finally accepted as a rebuild. With Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty already in tow, an improved offensive line and a competent quarterback in Mendoza are logically the next pieces.

"The league is littered with when you get the top pick right, those guys are franchise-altering players. There's probably no more important hire in an NFL organization than the head coach. They're the daily guy. They set the vision, they set the cadence. They are what touches the players every day and demand excellence from players. And the players are the ones that have to go out there and do it," Raiders General Manager John Spytek said recently.

Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) carries the ball for a touchdown against the Miami Hurricanes in the fourth quarter during the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

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