Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

What the Raiders Need Out of the 2026 Draft

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Fernando Alfaro-Donis | Last updated Mar 3, 2026 8:00 AM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders' future success largely depends on whether they can find their franchise quarterback with the first overall pick. They have a young group of exciting offensive weapons, but they need a quality play caller to unlock their full potential.

Fernando Mendoza is the best quarterback in his draft class, and he has plenty of traits that Raider Nation should be excited about. Getting Mendoza and Klint Kubiak's play calling to their offense in the offseason will make it dramatically better in 2026.

Best Case Scenario

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Ryan Smith writes for Pro Football Focus, and he wrote an article breaking down the best case scenerio for each AFC team in the draft. For the Raiders, their ultimate goal is to find their franchise quarterback, and there are plenty of reasons to believe they'll achieve it by selecting Mendoza.

"Mendoza is entering the NFL as a Heisman Trophy and National Championship winner after dominating the completion all year, leading the FBS with 41 touchdown passes with just six interceptions and a 129.4 passer rating".

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Mendoza is skyrocketing into the NFL with a perfect season behind him, and his poise and accuracy will immediately make themselves known in their offense. He's shown he can think on the fly and that he's not turnover-prone. He makes the right decisions under pressure, which is a stark contrast to the quarterback play they were used to last season. Smith gave them a stagnant offense, while Mendoza gives them a high ceiling.

"He picked apart opposing defenses with ease across all areas of the field, as evidenced by a 92.2 intermediate passing grade and a 93.4 deep passing grade. Pairing Mendoza with standout tight end Brock Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty gives the Raiders a legitimate foundation on the offensive side of the ball to build around for years to come".

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Mendoza's arm will be a threat to opposing defenses, which will make things easier for Ashton Jeanty. Defenses were able to stack the box most times Jeanty touched the ball, with him rarely seeing any open space without a defender immediately in his face.

Both Brock Bowers and Jeanty are cornerstone pieces moving forward, and if Kubiak can carry over some of the magic from the Seattle Seahawks into the building, they'll become household names in the NFL. Jaxon Smith-Njigba won the Offensive Player of the Year award in Kubiak's scheme. That same outcome can be replicated if Mendoza is all he appears to be on tape.

This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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