The Las Vegas Raiders dropped to 2-12 with a Week 15 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. According to Tankathon, they are projected to have the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The New York Giants also lost, so they remain ahead of Las Vegas. However, the two teams play each other in Week 17, which could be the deciding game for the No. 1 pick. The Raiders certainly need it more than the Giants.
Las Vegas needs a quarterback, and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza might be the only one worthy of a top-five draft pick. Mendoza just won the Heisman Trophy Award and has impressed the masses with his intelligence and maturity. It also helps that he’s 6-foot-5 with a strong arm.
Mendoza appears to be a lock for the top pick if a quarterback-needy team owns it, but the Raiders might want to do whatever it takes to land him. Minority owner Tom Brady is going to have a big influence over the team’s quarterback decisions.
After Mendoza’s Heisman Trophy speech went viral, Pro Football Focus’s Trevor Sikkema suggested that Brady isn’t going to let the quarterback play for another team.
“Raiders fans might as well buy the Mendoza jerseys now. (No) way Brady stands for this dude getting drafted by someone else,” Sikkema wrote on X.
What About Dante Moore?
The Raiders would likely take Mendoza if they get the top pick, but that’s no guarantee. The Giants are also really, and that’s a game they could win.
If that happens, the Raiders could drop out of the top five. That would make Oregon quarterback Dante Moore a more realistic option for the team. In Field Yates’ latest mock draft for ESPN, he projected Las Vegas to take Moore.
“Moore received immense hype after five starts as a true freshman at UCLA in 2023, but 2025 has been his true breakout year,” Yates wrote. “While he has a slender build at 6-foot-3 and 206 pounds, he has shown strong functional mobility and high-level downfield accuracy (third-best completion percentage in the FBS). He has a unique ability to change his arm angles when navigating pressure, too, making him a very creative quarterback overall.
“Moore hasn’t made his intentions clear about declaring, but there’s little doubt he would go very high if does enter the 2026 draft. And for the Raiders, it’s clear that Geno Smith is no longer a viable starter; he’s tied for the league lead in interceptions (14) and has the second-lowest QBR (32.5). Moore could be the centerpiece for an offense that already has an elite pass catcher (Brock Bowers) and a potential star running back (Ashton Jeanty).”
Are Raiders Ready to Take QB?
The Raiders absolutely need a quarterback, but that’s not the only thing they need. Geno Smith was a good player before coming to the team, but the lack of wide receiver or offensive line talent has made him fall off a cliff.
A rookie isn’t going to fare any better without better pieces around him. If Mendoza is available, then it might be worth it for the Raiders to worry about other needs later, but they can’t take a quarterback just to take a quarterback.
Raiders Urged to Already Buy Fernando Mendoza Jerseys for Specific Reason