New Update Emerges On Las Vegas Raiders Trading Away First-Overall Pick In 2026 Draft

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

The Las Vegas Raiders need to make a big move. For too long, the Raiders have watched other teams rebuild and get back to playoff contention.

That hasn’t been the case with them, failing over and over to put together a strong team. That’s why Tom Brady may choose to take the fast lane to the top.

Recently, reports showed that the Raiders could shockingly trade for Lamar Jackson. That would finally give them the franchise quarterback they’ve lacked for years.

Nevertheless, ESPN reporter Ryan McFadden just doesn’t see that happening right now. If anything, he believes they will be all over Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza:

“I doubt it,” McFadden wrote. “It’s hard to imagine the Raiders passing on Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, especially after ownership, including Tom Brady, attended the College Football Playoff National Championship. After Geno Smith’s rough 2025 season, the Raiders need to bring in a young signal-caller who can grow with running back Ashton Jeanty and tight end Brock Bowers. Mendoza has shown the toughness, accuracy and ability to deliver in pressured situations — traits that Las Vegas would covet from the quarterback position. Given the current state of the organization, there’s no need for the Raiders to overthink this selection.”

Mendoza is widely regarded as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. If the Raiders want a franchise quarterback, it might as well be him.

Las Vegas Raiders May Regret Taking Fernando Mendoza

Then again, as well as Mendoza did in his final season in college, some still aren’t completely sold on him.

That includes NFL Draft specialist Lance Zierlein. He wasn’t impressed with what he saw in the National Championship game:

“I’m giving Mendoza a pretty strong grade for my draft profile, but the one thing that bothers me is how heavy his shoes are when the pressure starts to mount in that pocket. Just doesn’t slide around the pocket nice and smooth, and he struggles to escape once it leaks,” Zierlein wrote on X.

At the end of the day, there are no guarantees when it comes to the NFL Draft. We’ve seen star prospects like Ryan Leaf and JaMarcus Russell be a disaster, and Brock Purdy was the last pick and became a star.

Mendoza’s head seems to be on the right place. Whether that will be enough to succeed in the pros remains to be seen.