The 2026 NFL Draft begins on Thursday night in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The first round will provide plenty of intrigue as teams try to land superstars, but one pick will not be a surprise.
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Every fan and expert alike expects former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza to go first overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. He is viewed as the top quarterback in the class, and the Raiders are in desperate need of a signal-caller who can make a difference.
Coming in at 6-foot-5 and 236 pounds, Mendoza looks the part. He also has the arm strength and the accuracy to shine in the right NFL system. He showed this during two seasons at California (2023 and 2024) and one season at Indiana (2025).
Last season, in particular, the Heisman Trophy winner led the conference with 41 passing touchdowns and 9.3 yards gained per pass attempt. He put up these numbers while leading Indiana to a perfect 16-0 record and the team's first National Championship win.
Obviously, the selection will not be official until the Raiders turn in their pick card on Thursday night. A team could still swoop in and offer a bounty of picks in exchange for the first overall pick, but this is unlikely to happen.
Mendoza, for his part, has acknowledged the possibility that he will play for the Raiders and minority owner Tom Brady. He has showcased his excitement.
"Yeah, I mean, who hasn't admired Tom Brady?" Mendoza said during the NFL Scouting Combine. "I mean, more Super Bowl rings than anybody. So, that opportunity would be fantastic.
"Tom Brady, I believe, is the greatest quarterback of all time, by a wide margin, and to be able to have the opportunity to be mentored by him, it would mean so much.
"Especially to learn, and I'm all about learning. So from day one, you know, I've got to learn a lot. It's gonna be a long journey, and to potentially have a mentor like that, it would be pretty impressive and pretty meaningful."
The 2026 NFL Draft will kick off at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 23. Fans can tune in via NFL Network, NFL+, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Deportes as Commissioner Roger Goodell takes the stage and kicks off the opening round.
