Tom Brady Reveals Who The Las Vegas Raiders Are Taking In The 2026 NFL Draft [VIDEO]

Fernando Mendoza is still in his college career in the CFP. There is no doubt that he will be drafted to one of the worst teams in the league when he heads to the NFL.

After the Raiders fell to the New York Giants in Week 17, it put them on the inside track to secure the No. 1 pick. Everybody knows that Geno Smith is not the answer at quarterback. Even Raiders fans know it, which is why he flipped them off over their heckles.

Now, the Raiders might have their sights set on a younger quarterback.

Tom Brady is certainly sold on the team drafting Fernando Mendoza. He basically confirmed it with his recent comments on NFL on Fox. It should be noted that Brady is a minority owner in the team.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion commented, “I love everything about his game. Certainly, his leadership is what stands out. His relatability to his teammates, and he’s overcome a lot of things in his career.”

Tom Brady is sold on Fernando Mendoza and basically just confirmed he’s the next Raiders QB pic.twitter.com/TIA8XSFU8W

— Raiders Report Mitchell Renz (@MitchellRenz365) January 2, 2026

Are The Raiders Sold On Fernando Mendoza?

Fernando Mendoza’s Heisman win surely helped his stock in the NFL Draft.

Should Las Vegas see Mendoza as its franchise quarterback, the team has already gotten great news. ESPN’s college football insider Pete Thamel reported he is expected to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft.

“The widespread expectation in the NFL is that Mendoza is going to go pro after the season,” Thamel said. “He obviously just won the Heisman Trophy. To replace him, I’ve been told Indiana is expected to target Josh Hoover, the former TCU quarterback.”

Indiana knocked off Alabama in the Rose Bowl in shocking fashion. When they entered 2025, the Hoosiers were the losingest program in college football history.

The Heisman trophy winner has flipped the fortunes of Indiana football. Indiana took down No. 9 Alabama 38-3 in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Fernando Mendoza went 14-16 for 192 yards and three touchdowns through the air.

He seems to have all the tools available for any team to want him as their starting quarterback. If he can change Indiana, he could possibly change the Raiders in the future.