Fernando Mendoza

The No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, Mendoza is expected to begin the season backing up Kirk Cousins, who is due $11.3 million guaranteed from the Raiders (and another $8.7 million from Atlanta). How long that arrangement lasts is uncertain, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner spent more time on the bench than other recent No. 1 picks. The Raiders are the weak link in a tough AFC West, and their offensive line may be subpar even after the signing of Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum. With prototypical size at 6-foot-4, 236, Mendoza is a classic pocket passer capable of making every throw even if his arm isn’t quite elite. He was highly accurate last season at Indiana (72.0 completion percentage) with great touch and ball placement -- his 41:6 TD:INT came against top-tier talent, after all. Mendoza even added 377 yards and seven TDs on the ground last season (not counting sack yardage), though he's probably not fast enough to match that rushing production in the NFL. He should be ahead of other rookie QBs from a mental standpoint after making 35 collegiate starts, including 16 in an Indiana offense that frequently required pre-snap reads. After throwing to fellow NFL prospects Omar Cooper and Elijah Sarratt last season, Mendoza now finds himself saddled with one of the worst WR rooms in the NFL, though the Raiders at least have premium talent at other positions, namely Linderbaum, TE Brock Bowers, RB Ashton Jeanty and LT Kolton Miller. New head coach Klint Kubiak, the Super Bowl-winning OC from the Seahawks, should be able to build a functional offense centered around Jeanty and Bowers. Mendoza seems to have both the tools and makeup to flourish, and getting tutelage from Raiders minority owner Tom Brady can’t hurt either. But it may not amount to much statistically in Year 1. Read Past Outlooks