Teams have received clear message if Raiders' perceived Fernando Mendoza draft pick is for sale

For months, reporters and analysts around the country have indicated that it is essentially a lock that the Las Vegas Raiders will make Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza the first overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23. 

That understandably didn't stop interested teams from calling Raiders general manager John Spytek to see if the advertised Mendoza selection is for sale. On Tuesday, Spytek seemed to say plenty about the nature of those conversations. 

Raiders have given would-be buyers clear answer about Fernando Mendoza pick

"We've gotten a few calls, and those teams know where they stand," Spytek said about possibly trading the No. 1 pick, per Ryan McFadden of ESPN. 

For a brief time during the winter, whispers suggested that Spytek could at least consider calling the Baltimore Ravens regarding a blockbuster trade for star quarterback Lamar Jackson. While Jackson and the Ravens haven't yet come to an agreement on a contract extension, numerous reports have indicated the Raiders are now all-in on acquiring Mendoza. 

Why Raiders almost certainly won't trade the Fernando Mendoza pick

Other than former quarterback and current analyst Dan Orlovsky, just about every noteworthy member of the NFL community who creates mock drafts has Mendoza listed as the clear QB1 of this year's class. Earlier this week, ESPN's Aaron Schatz shared that "Mendoza is a worthy top pick, and none of this year's other quarterbacks come close to his projection." 

While the Raiders signed veteran Kirk Cousins in free agency, the deal between the parties is basically a one-year, $20M contract that the club can escape next offseason at a time when Mendoza ideally will be ready to take over as its full-time QB1. 

Then again, Mendoza may end the 2026 season atop the Raiders' depth chart. 

"If there's a player that stands out that we feel it's not worth losing, it's not worth even picking up the phone, then we'll just make the pick," Spytek said about likely holding onto the draft's choice. "But if it's a player that we're not as excited about, or there's a group of players that we would love to pick from, and we can get value for that, we're certainly open to listening to that."