Why the Raiders Should Stay Put at No. 1

Josh Edwards writes for CBS Sports, and he wrote an article breaking down his 2026 NFL mock draft. Nothing has changed for the Raiders throughout the course of this offseason. Fernando Mendoza should still be the first overall pick because of the chance that he's the franchise guy Raider Nation has been waiting for.

"There is only one quarterback worthy of consideration at No. 1 overall. There is some thought to trading the pick to acquire additional assets, build the roster and plug in a quarterback later. However, Las Vegas also recognizes the difficulty other teams have had identifying the right quarterback and getting into position to add that player", said Edwards.

Taking a quarterback first overall is always a risk. It can make or break the next five years for the Raiders, and if he ends up being a bust, it will be Kubiak and the rest of the Raiders front office that have to take the fall for that. However, I have plenty of reason to believe that Mendoza is legit.

"Take the shot when it comes open. Mendoza played in a less-than-ideal situation at California before thriving at Indiana. His accuracy will give Las Vegas' receivers a chance until that room gets reconstructed".

Mendoza isn't stepping into a roster that's loaded with weapons, but under Kubiak's vision, I believe he'll be able to get the most out of them. The most important thing with him is his accuracy, which will be a far cry from the offense the Raiders were sending out last season. I don't think Mendoza will lead the NFL in interceptions like Geno Smith.

Even if there is some merit to trading away the pick, there's no guarantee the Raiders will have a chance at a quarterback prospect this poised for the NFL.

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