Fernando Mendoza went from being the favorite to hear his name called No. 1 overall in the 2026 NFL draft to a near-lock as the future quarterback of the Las Vegas Raiders.
At the start of the College Football Playoff, some uncertainty existed about who could ultimately be QB1. Mendoza was the frontrunner, of course, but Oregon’s Dante Moore had an opportunity to impress and possibly take over the spot.
Well, Mendoza went on to throw more touchdowns than incompletions during his first two playoff appearances, outplay Moore when the two were on the field at the same time and punctuate an already historic season with one of the gutsiest performances ever seen by a quarterback during a national championship game.
Mendoza answered the bell every…single…time this past season. He remained unflappable whenever he made a mistake or adversity arose. In each major instance, the junior prospect responded, usually by leading a touchdown drive.
Meanwhile, the 20-year-old Moore chose a return to Oregon for another season, which further cemented Mendoza’s status. No other quarterback among the incoming crop is viewed as a potential Tier 1 option. It’s Mendoza or bust.
Once the Raiders choose Mendoza with the first pick, another first-round quarterback may not come off the board. The possibility does exist. Though it’s probably more likely that at least one sneaks into the latter half of the opening frame.
Mendoza’s status took a positive turn, because his situation developed into the closest thing the NFL draft gets to a guarantee. The Raiders may have had questions about what to do a month ago. The organization shouldn’t have any now.