Las Vegas Raiders Favored to Take Heisman QB Fernando Mendoza
Posted on: February 27, 2026, 06:04h.
Last updated on: March 6, 2026, 09:36h.
- Las Vegas Raiders own the number one pick in NFL Draft this April
- Sportsbooks have Heisman Trophy-winning QB Fernando Mendoza going first overall
- Mendoza met with the Raiders’ brass and had a phone call with the Raiders’ minority owner Tom Brady
The potential No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL draft, quarterback Fernando Mendoza, spoke at the NFL Combine today, with a union with the Las Vegas Raiders in a few months becoming more likely.
Raiders Own No. 1 Draft Pick
The Raiders, after finishing 3-14 this past NFL season, own the No. 1 pick, with the draft set for April 23 in Pittsburgh. Sportsbooks like DraftKings have the odds at +20000 that Mendoza goes No. 1 overall. Linebacker Arvell Reese is next at +7000 to go No. 1.
The only way Mendoza doesn’t go to Las Vegas is if the Raiders trade the pick for what would be a boatload of players and/or draft picks, but listening to Mendoza today, you don’t get the sense that’s going to happen.
The Heisman Trophy winner has already had his meeting with the Raiders coaching staff, including a phone call with the Raiders’ minority owner Tom Brady.
Mendoza said that while he hasn’t been drafted yet, it will still be a great experience to be able to learn under Brady, who has seven Super Bowl titles and five Super Bowl MVPs under his belt.
Sportsbook Odds Heavily Favour Mendoza
“Who hasn’t admired Tom Brady?” he told reporters. “I mean, more Super Bowl rings than anybody. So that opportunity would be fantastic. Tom Brady, I believe, is the greatest quarterback of all time, by a wide margin, and to potentially be able to have the opportunity to be mentored by him would mean so much, especially to learn. And I’m all about learning. So from day one, I got to learn a lot. It’s gonna be a long journey, and to have potentially have a mentor like that would be pretty impressive and pretty meaningful.
“I was lucky enough to have a formal interview with the Las Vegas Raiders,” he said. “It was a fantastic interview. The coaching staff was in there. We went over some of my previous plays and drew some plays on the board. Thought it was a great meeting, and I know they have the number one pick, but anything could happen in the draft. I’m just excited for the opportunity, and whatever team drafts me, I’m gonna give everything I got to them. Whatever team drafts me, I’m grateful, whether it’s number one pick or whether it’s the 199th pick.”
Brady Influence
The Raiders are in a good spot to rocket-fuel a rebuild. Not only do they have the first overall pick with the probability of bringing in Mendoza as their new franchise QB, the organization also has salary cap room to build around him. And they have a new coaching staff, led by Klint Kubiak, fresh off a Super Bowl win with the Seattle Seahawks as their offensive coordinator.
The NFL announced today that the salary cap for the 2026-27 season will be a record $301.2 million, an increase of $22 million per club. That’s big-time growth. According to Over the Cap, the Tennessee Titans have the most salary cap space for next season, at $94.9 million, followed by the Raiders at $89.2 million. If the Raiders end up trading star defensive end Maxx Crosby, and there are plenty of rumours out there about that now, that’s another $30 million in cap space.
The Raiders’ regular wins over/under total at DraftKings is 5.5 (Over +120/Under -145).
“We see how the NFL turns around so much. In the NFL, the margins are so small,” said Mendoza. “There are so many games decided by so few points, and the difference between a losing record and a winning record is a couple of drives, a couple of key plays. And so whatever team I’m on, I’m just gonna take that advice and take the coaching from the staff, and however I can best serve my teammates, I am going to do that to the best of my ability.”
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