Everything indicates the Las Vegas Raiders will take former Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. That said, until the selection is official, questions will linger about whether the Silver and Black might explore trade options.
If the Raiders do go with Mendoza, they could have their franchise quarterback for years to come. Moreover, former NFL QB Cam Newton believes that the right decision would be to take the signal-caller with the top pick.
“Fernando Mendoza is probably the obvious pick here,” Newton told the Raiders’ official YouTube channel on Feb. 4. “What should bring any Raiders fan to believe in him is that he possesses everything you want to see in a quarterback: calm, cool, collected, and with the leadership abilities the Raiders need.”
Moreover, Newton believes that the Raiders would have foundational pieces for their rebuild in Mendoza, Ashton Jeanty, and Brock Bowers. Nonetheless, he does not that there should be other steps as well.
“As you get your quarterback, you have good pillars, things you can stand on. I think what the Raiders have to continue to do is, when you bring that quarterback into your facility, you need to back him with a great defense and a strong offensive line. And then the unsung hero is a great special teams unit.”
Fernando Mendoza Receives Major Backing
Amid the Raiders likely taking Mendoza, several Raider greats from the past are being asked about the Hoosiers standout. The latest former Raiders player to talk about Mendoza is Reggie Kinlaw.
“[Mendoza] is a smart kid,” Kinlaw told Vegas Sports Today in a video posted on Jan. 31. “I like the way he carries himself. He’s not cocky [and] he’s not one of those bougie looking guys or whatever. I know he reads defense pretty good. That’s the college level. You’re going to have to change that up when you get to the pros.
“He’s a little mobile. He’s 6-foot-5, so his running style kind of like a giraffe or something like that. But hey, as long as he can get you five yards. He loves the game. You can tell this kid loves the game. I think he’s one of those guys who watch film a lot, and he’s coachable.”
Raiders Need to Spend Big on O-Line Help
Newton mentioned building an offensive line and that should be priority No. 1 for the Raiders, who have the second-most cap space heading into free agency, per Over the Cap.
As a result, former Raiders offensive lineman Lincoln Kennedy believes that Las Vegas need to do whatever it takes to land Baltimore Ravens‘ Tyler Linderbaum in free agency.
“I’m throwing a bag of money at Tyler Linderbaum,” Kennedy said on the Feb. 3 edition of “Raiders Squad Show.” “I’m throwing a ton of money. What do you need? Tell me a check that will make you happy to come over for Raiders. That’s just a start, right? But there are plenty of guys out there that I would definitely look at, and I have no problem with accepting and throwing a ton of money out there.”
PFF gave Linderbaum an 80.2 overall grade for the 2025 season. He recorded a 63.4 pass-blocking grade, good for 22nd among the 40 eligible centers, and an 83.7 run-blocking grade, which puts him fourth among the 40 eligible centers.
Cam Newton Gets Blunt on Fernando Mendoza Amid Raiders Projection