Silver And Black Pride
It’s Mendoza mania in Las Vegas as the expectation is that the Las Vegas Raiders will be using the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza in just a few months. Obviously, that’s one of the big topics for this week’s mailbag, and we’ll also touch on the head coach search, free agency and the offseason as a whole. Let’s get to it!
A: Keeping in mind that this is how I viewed/graded them as prospects and not factoring in how they’ve performed as pros, here’s how I’d rank the last three quarterback classes.
Admittedly, I was way too low on Daniels. Looking back on it, I overthought his evaluation and should have just stuck to what Daniels showed during his last season at LSU. So, I wouldn’t argue against anyone who has Daniels over Mendoza.
Maye and Williams definitely had more talent than Mendoza, and I don’t mean that as a slight against Mendoza. Those other two were just really athletic and had very good arm talent. I’d have a hard time putting any quarterback prospect in the last five to ten draft classes ahead of them. Plus, I thought Maye was a better processor than people gave him credit for coming out of North Carolina.
I’ve been saying this since about November; I feel like people are underselling Mendoza as a prospect. He may not be a physical freak, but he’s athletic enough, has plenty of arm strength, is extremely accurate and great at picking apart coverages. I’ve fallen victim to this too, so I understand it, but I feel like we fall in love with the first two traits mentioned and forget that the last two are actually more important when it comes to playing the position.
Q: Who is your pick in the draft, or would you want to trade down?
A: Fernando Mendoza V. And then in another 20 to 30 years, Fernando Mendoza VI.
Jokes aside, the Raiders are finally in a spot where they have a chance to draft a franchise quarterback, and it’s time to take advantage of that situation. As bad as the Raiders have been in the last 20 years, this is only the second time they’ve picked No. 1 overall. It would take a blockbuster trade for me to even entertain the idea of moving out of this spot.
Q: I’m making you the Raiders GM for a minute. I’m the Jets or Browns, and I call you up and offer you as many as five first and second round picks for this year and 2027. Don’t you have to make that trade for the long-term future of the Raiders and forget about Mendoza?
A: Speaking of, if it’s five first- and second-round picks, okay, now I’m listening. That’s about the same as what the Bears got for...
