The Las Vegas Raiders own the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft (scheduled April 23-25 in Pittsburgh), but that’s not the only selection they must get right.
The Raiders are expected to take Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (6-foot-5, 236 pounds) first overall. The 2025 Heisman winner flashed franchise-cornerstone potential last season, piloting the Big Ten school to its first national championship in football and leading the FBS in touchdown passes (41).
However, if the Raiders repeat the mistakes of previous regimes, that would doom Mendoza.
Poor drafting has tanked the Raiders
The Athletic’s Zak Keefer published a story Thursday that detailed former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden’s disastrous second tenure with the team from 2018-21.
In three seasons with the Raiders, Gruden — who previously coached the team from 1998-2001 — went 22-31. He resigned from his post after Week 5 of the 2021 season, after a series of emails that included racist, misogynistic and homophobic language leaked. Gruden is suing the NFL, alleging it divulged the emails. A trial date is set for May 2027.
Blame horrible drafting for the poor product on the field. From 2019-21, the Raiders had six first-round choices. Out of those selections, they managed to select one Pro Bowler: running back Josh Jacobs (now with the Green Bay Packers). Their only other notable pick was defensive end Maxx Crosby, pick No. 106 in 2019, who has made five Pro Bowls in seven seasons with the team.
Perhaps if Gruden had been less involved in roster building, the Raiders would’ve been more successful. Keefer reported that if the coach didn’t like a prospect, he would have an assistant compile a tape of a player’s worst college snaps to convince his staff to pass on him in the draft. That sabotaged months of scouting, causing the Raiders to whiff on their selections.
He and former general manager Mike Mayock often disagreed when evaluating talent, which made matters worse. It wasn’t until the coach walked out of the room during later rounds of the draft that the GM began hitting on his picks.
“Gruden basically wasn’t even around for that part,” a source told Keefer. And that’s when Mayock reportedly took Crosby in 2019.
Alas, the Raiders didn’t find enough players like Crosby, which is why they find themselves in a mess. Since making the playoffs in 2021, they’ve gone 21-47 over the past four seasons. During this span, the team cycled through three different head coaches: Josh McDaniels, Antonio Pierce and Pete Carroll.
Vegas has now turned to Klint Kubiak as HC, who helped the Seattle Seahawks win Super Bowl LX as offensive coordinator. However, if Kubiak, GM John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady can’t agree on how to support Mendoza, the 22-year-old QB may bomb in Sin City.
The Raiders can avoid ruining Mendoza’s pro career by building a better roster. That begins with nailing the 2026 draft.
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