Las Vegas Raiders Hit Jackpot ... Draft Mendoza W/ 1st Pick!

Published April 23, 2026 5:24 PM PDT

The Las Vegas Raiders officially have their franchise quarterback, selecting Fernando Mendoza, the gunslinging Heisman Trophy winner, with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Let's keep it a buck ... everyone knew Vegas was going to pick the former star Indiana QB -- it was the worst-kept secret in the NFL -- but now it's officially official.

Mendoza, 22, is coming off an incredible season at Indiana, where he not only led the Hoosiers to a national title but also had immense personal success, winning the coveted Heisman.

The hope in Sin City is that the Raiders finally have their man at QB, after years of failing to find the guy to lead the franchise.

They had the number one overall pick in 2007, selecting JaMarcus Russell, which ultimately was a flop.

In 2014, they again tried to find a signal caller in the draft, picking Derek Carr with the 36th overall selection. Carr was good, not great.

Since DC departed the org, they've started a hodgepodge of players, including Aidan O'Connell, Jimmy Garoppolo, Gardner Minshew, and Geno Smith.