It’s really not a surprise at this cut-off date, but reports indicate that Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza getting drafted No. 1 overall by the Raiders is all but a sure thing. Mendoza cemented himself because the likely first overall pick even before the Hoosiers’ championship run through the College Football Playoff secured his Heisman win, and as soon as Las Vegas secured the highest pick within the draft, Mendoza’s move to Nevada became a near certainty.
Nothing is ever 100-percent sure, though, and there may be at all times a possibility that the Raiders have a look at next 12 months’s wide crop of quarterback prospects and an historic trade offer for the No. 1 overall pick and select that route. Overwhelmingly, though, pundits across the media spectrum consider that Vegas will retain their top overall pick and make things official with Mendoza. During an appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer dropped quite a lot of quotes, saying, “I could be stunned if (Mendoza) didn’t go No. 1, right? I- I feel it’s highly unlikely he goes anywhere but Vegas.”
Over at ESPN, a crew of reporters polled several NFL executives on the subject on the Senior Bowl, Shrine Bowl, and Super Bowl, and eight executives believed the Raiders would keep the pick, while no votes were tallied against that possibility. Individually, ESPN’s Wealthy Cimini asked Jets general manager Darren Mougey about the opportunity of reaching out to Vegas to inquire about moving up, and he stated pretty plainly, “I don’t think that’s happening.” Courtney Cronin, one other ESPN contributor, added to the gang yesterday with a bit on Mendoza’s meeting with the Raiders and his excitement on the prospect of probably being mentored by minority team owner Tom Brady.
Now, for teams with a necessity at quarterback not positioned in Sin City, the opposite obvious solutions are to go after one in all the highest free agent quarterbacks available — namely, Green Bay’s Malik Willis or Indianapolis’ Daniel Jones — or try and trade for San Francisco’s Mac Jones. After impressive 2025 contributions, each Joneses are expected to remain home, though, and just one team will get to say Willis as an answer, but there remains to be a solvable equation for the teams that remain.
In line with Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the teams which are still looking to amass a passer after the above dust settles will have the opportunity to look towards either the litany of veteran quarterbacks with starting experience available for reasonable or the many rookie passers who could also be value taking a flyer on or some combination of each. Rapoport points to several veteran former starters who’re considered release candidates and who may, in the identical vein as Russell Wilson, have the opportunity to play for the veteran minimum, due to the added security of guaranteed money from the teams who may allow them to go. This example would apply to players like Kirk Cousins, Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Fields, and Geno Smith.
Teams can sign one in all these quarterbacks to audition for a Jones-like comeback opportunity then pair them with a young, rookie option that could be available afterward within the 2026 NFL Draft. After Mendoza, Alabama’s Ty Simpson has drawn some first-round interest, but there may be a perceived drop off within the arms that follow. The following names on the list — LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Miami’s Carson Beck, Penn State’s Drew Allar, etc. — could fall anywhere within the draft. Some see 2026 very like the 2022 NFL Draft, during which Kenny Pickett was the one Day 1 quarterback, and the subsequent passer was taken within the third round. Others consider 2026 may very well be more like 2018 or 2024, when two passers were widely viewed as first-round talents but several others drifted into the primary round based on the variety of teams searching for answers on the position.
With many already looking forward to the quarterback prospects of the 2027 NFL Draft, we may even see multiple teams opt to employ the services of a veteran starter alone or combined with a promising rookie. These decisions will play out over the subsequent few weeks because the veterans hit free agency after release and draft grades are determined for rookies, but there are several options available to groups searching for quarterback help for 2026.