Since the NFL/AFL merger in 1967, 13 teams have traded out of the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. The Raiders, owners of the No. 1 choice this year, will not add to the total. To no surprise, the Raiders plan on using the pick, which is “virtually unattainable,” per Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom.
The Silver and Black prevailed over the Giants in a late-season chess match to finish last. The Raiders secured the selection after shutting down their two best players, defensive end Maxx Crosby and tight end Brock Browers, ahead of a Week 17 matchup with the Giants. While it didn’t go over well with Crosby, now the subject of ongoing trade rumors, the Raiders locked up last place with a 34-10 loss.
Had the Giants fallen to the Raiders and ended the season 32nd, a trade involving the No. 1 pick may have been more realistic. After all, the Giants are optimistic they have an answer at quarterback in 2025 first-rounder Jaxson Dart.
With Dart in tow, the Giants would have been in prime position to receive a haul for No. 1 overall. The same is true of the Raiders, but unlike the Giants, they are in dire need of a prized young quarterback. They are certain to take Indiana Heisman Trophy winner and national champion Fernando Mendoza with their pick.
If this year’s class featured other high-end QB prospects, perhaps the Raiders would entertain moving down. But there is no surefire first-round passer available beyond Mendoza. Arch Manning returning to Texas and Dante Moore staying at Oregon no doubt crushed some QB-starved teams’ hopes.
With Manning and Moore putting off the NFL for another year, Raiders part-owner Tom Brady – arguably the greatest QB of all-time – is dead set on Mendoza.
“You aren’t getting that pick from Brady,” a GM in the market for QB help told La Canfora.
In 2020, with LSU’s Joe Burrow looking like a generational prospect, the Dolphins reportedly offered the Bengals four first-rounders for No. 1. That wasn’t enough for the Bengals to pass on Burrow, who has lived up to the hype when healthy.
On the possibility of a similar offer for Mendoza, a GM said to La Canfora: “Is somebody going to throw three ones (first-round picks) at them to draft the kid from Indiana? That’s not going to happen. They’re drafting the quarterback.”
Mendoza is a strong prospect, but he isn’t on the level Burrow was when the latter was on his way to the pros. With that in mind, it’s unlikely another team would mortgage the future for Mendoza in the way the Dolphins would have for Burrow.
When Mendoza’s move to Las Vegas becomes official in April, he’ll form an enticing duo with rookie head coach Klint Kubiak. The Raiders are understandably eager to pair Mendoza with Kubiak, whom they hired after he won Super Bowl LX as the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator last season.
Kid comes outta nowhere his senior year and (in contrast to his previous seasons) lights it up to go undefeated, a Heisman AND a Championship
That’s rarified trifecta for anyone much less a previous “who?”
I wouldn’t say he came out of nowhere. He was ranked QB3 on many boards before the season started.
He definitely didn’t come out of nowhere. He was viewed as a borderline 1st rounder coming into the season.
That speaks more to the 2026 draft class than his stats at Cal
we don’t use stats to project college QBs to the NFL and never have
Hard disagree. This was projected to be a really good QB class before Arch had his slow start, Mateer got injured, Klubnik regressed, Allar got hurt and performed mediocre, Beck showed his arm wasn’t all the way back, etc. Plus he played for a bad Cal team, which he made a lot better. There’s a reason he was a top transfer portal option and Indiana wanted him so badly.
No news here! Las Vegas should listen to offers for due diligence but you don’t tank on purpose for the right to trade out of #1.
The giants tried to tank, but they failed once again.This year. vegas and jets did a better job tanking
Jets still need a QB and really after Mendoza, there’s none…maybe they try Carson Beck in the 2nd round ??
There’s Simpson, but I don’t like the fit with the Jets, though. Not now, at least. Maybe after they develop an identity on offense and shore up a few positions. Simpson is a good prospect, but I like him in a system that can run the ball consistently so he doesn’t have to be Superman. He’s gifted, but not quite athletic enough to do that in the pros over and over again in my mind. He’s not a big guy, even if he’s not small, either. I like him a lot, but I’d put him on a team more geared to protect him playcall-wise than the Jets right now.
They’re going to have to add somebody, though. Either this year, or next. My fear would be that Glenn will do juuuust enough to stay on and hold back that new QB. I’d like to see a stronger candidate to be entrusted with that, even if I like Reich as a mentor.
Ty Simpson would have benefitted more by staying in college one more year. I think the Rams would be a great place for him to land, 2nd round guy. Jets are possibly going to have to find a veteran like Kenny Pickett just to get through the season until the 2027 draft where they have a shot at Arch Manning 🤔
Vegas tanked, Jets were simply that bad!
Jets did not intentionally tank, they suck!
Its funny because its true.
Fatty McButterpants
Vegas tanked, Jets were simply that bad! Jets did not intentionally tank, they suck!
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They traded two outstanding defensive players and went 1-7 down the stretch. Kind of tanking.
Counter argument: they would have went 1-7 with those 2 players. They kinda sucked!
The team, not those 2 players.
It’s not a contest. The Jets as much as my Raiders did.
The Raiders finally get their franchise QB!
Might not be in year 1 , but time to start getting excited about Mendoza and Kubiak. Couldn’t ask for a better combo
100% agree! I’m hyped for the Raiders Reforge we are gonna see 🙂
I felt like they were on track way back when with Carr, Mack, etc. until Gruden got there and screwed things up.
Ugh…yup! I cannot stand Sucky Chucky Grudork, one of the most overrated, barely .500 career, Super Bowl winning head coaches that was a TERRIBLE Talent Evaluator with Bucs & Raiders second stint (plus a goofy AF ESPN MNF/Draft analyst who wanted the Raiders to draft bust Johnny Manziel at #4 over future all-pro Khalil Mack).
Not to mention Sucky Chucky is a racist/sexist PoS totally the antithesis of what Al Davis’ Raider Org is: PROGRESSIVE AF…he only won a Lombardi because he inherited Dungy’s HoF Bucs Defensive Stars and got to face the Raider Offense he curated for 3 years with Gannon Garner Brown/Rice.
TERRIBLE Talent Evaluator
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One of my worst sports memories was when he drafted Leatherwood. They were dancing around and high-fiving like they stole someone not projected to even be a 1st rounder.
shocking that Brady fell in love with the hardworking humble kid who has never been in trouble. Who does Mendoza play like? Just curious to hear the comps.
A lot of people have dropped Jared Goff comps, since he gets by more on decision-making and accuracy than elite tools and wow plays. But he’s also more mobile than Goff, even if you wouldn’t call him a serious running threat.
He’s got a bit of improvisational tools, too. Goff didn’t have as much of that, which isn’t to say that Goff wasn’t impressive with his production in college.
Yeah I actually just saw Lance Zierlein comped him to Burrow, which feels like an interesting gesture in that direction.
I can kind of see a slightly more mobile version of Goff.
I heard one radio broadcast comp him to a peak Kirk Cousins.
He plays like Matt Ryan
I’ve heard people say Matt Ryan
I have heard him mostly comp’d to Matt Ryan.
What next you’re gonna tell me water is wet
Will he drink a purple syrup like their last #1 QB pick?
Now THAT’s why the Raiders had so many lean years!
Arty! That gives me PTSD. I remember watching him live LSU v ASU when I was in college at ASU. Game got moved to ASU. I was not impressed with him. ASU should’ve won that game. Joseph Addai was who I was impressed with that game.
No. Pepsi Zero or 7-Up Shirley Temple Zero.
I mean, how much confidence do they have in Mendoza? The Raiders aren’t a QB away from contention and even if they were, Mendoza won’t deliver it in year one. They’re going to be in the running for the top pick next year regardless.
If someone DID offer the Raiders 3 first rounders, wouldn’t Vegas be better off using those to build up the whole team and drafting a QB in the top 5 next year?
Some people on here made this argument about the Patriots trading down two years ago instead of taking Maye. You just don’t know where you’ll be picking or what a draft will look like. If you need a quarterback and you’re in position to draft a guy you think is a franchise quarterback, you don’t trade out.
I just wonder whether Mendoza really is a franchise guy or if he’s getting pumped up because the draft class for QB is terrible.
Your point is moot, it doesn’t matter, you HAVE to draft him. Its so much worse to pass on a guy that turns out to be a Mahomes, then to draft a guy that turns into a Ryan Leaf. everybody drafts busts.
Obviously they have a lot of confidence otherwise they would be listening to offers. This kid – should – end up being a top 10 QB in the league within a few years, you can’t pass it up. Adding Mendoza, a few more picks and a whole lot of cap room will at least improve the team as a whole tremendously this year. It may take a year or so to have all of the new guys gel but it can’t be any worse that Gino and Pete.
Also, even if Manning and Moore were in the draft they would be picked after Mendoza. Those two aren’t that great and I don’t understand all the hype.
I doubt Kubiak signs up without assurances that they would take Mendoza. It will be interesting to see if he’s any good in the league or not. Bowers helps.
You take the QB, you take his rookie contract, you protect him & add receivers & RB skill players and Trenches to go from worst to first fast.
Raiders have pieces on offense skill player wise to be a similar NFL worst to first darlings (we have seen with Chicago, Washington, Lions the past 5 years) of the league by 2027 with Kubiak Mendoza Bowers Jeanty Crosby and a high pick WR in 2027 draft…VOILA!
Shouldn’t it be unobtainable instead of unattainable?
No. The first round pick will never be attained.
Unobtainium!?!
See, it’s clever because they can’t get it…
Raiders better invest in their OL if they want Mendoza to succeed….
Jets have the picks to go get Burrow if they want or anyone else. Make Cincy an offer they get refuse.
Jets ain’t gonna act like the Mafia to get the injury-prone Burrow. They can find their future QB1 in the Draft and pick up a low-cost bridge QB in free agency, for instance Jimmy G or Derek Carr.
BTW the Raiders didn’t clinch the #1 pick until the Giants defeated Dallas in Week 18.
Actually, Carr isn’t truly a free agent and there’s no guarantee he’d want to come back to play for the Jets. The Jets or any other team would have to send a pick to New Orleans for Carr’s rights.
They will, but the Carroll Nepo Coaching (Brendan Carroll was a bad Oline Coach) and dysfunction between what Chip Kelly wanted to run vs. what Pete & his son wanted to run was also a big part of the Oline being awful in 2025. Plus early season ending injuries to veteran LT Kolten Miller and 2nd year G Powers-Johnson.
Throw FA money at C Linderbaum from Balt & RT Braden from Indy would be a good start (plus health & this new coaching staff).
“Virtually” means possible. If I were the Raiders, I’d ask the NYJs for a king’s ransom. The NYJ have almost unlimited draft capital. Trade out of #1, trade Maxx, and you are almost guaranteed to have a top-5 next year as well, with 2-3 good QB prospects available.
Green Bay is offering love and their first pick in 28 and 29 for the number one pick
All you need is Love
I imagine Raiders fan are delighted that Mark and Tom are already celebrating winning the off season.
I think the fact that the Raiders have so much cap space also detracts from the possibility of trading the top pick. Drafting a high character QB that has proven he can win big games, plus the ability to sign key players to the OL via free agency is exactly what this franchise should and (hopefully) will do.
It will be nice to see them execute an intelligent strategy, even if it doesn’t yield instant success. Seeing improvement and the possibility of coaching stability will be enough for us fans to buy in to the future of the franchise.
he’s gonna be a.great reclamation project for the rams .. niners or vikings in five years
Downvote! Raiders will be the next “worst to first” org by 2027 under Mendoza, Kubiak, Spytek book it! The AFC is in flux and Mahomes, Allen, Jackson, Burrow age into their 30s with staff/roster changes galore or injuries to recover from.
Taking the QB from the best team is always a risk, they are often made to look better than they actually are by the superior roster around them vs. the inferior rosters they play.
Having watched a lot of Mendoza this year, your comment is fair. He got great support from receivers making circus catches. Needing 2 feet (or more) down in the NFL will challenge his completion percentage. He’s still very talented physically and mentally.
I am pulling for the kid! While he comes off a little bit dorky, he genuinely seems like a really nice young man that was raised right.
Not a Raiders fan but they are one of a handful of teams that makes the league more interesting when they are relevant.
The answer lies in your past evaluations of drafts. Where do the Raiders rank him to other QB 1st picks. Is he better, equal or less than Cam Ward, Caleb Williams, Bryce Young, Trevor Lawrence and Joe Burrow? I would say to early to tell on Ward, but he looks more like a Trevor Lawrence and is that ok?
Burrow…………………………………….Williams……..Lawrence……………………………………………………………………………………………..Ward/Young.
Where does Mendoza fit?
Anything coming from Jason La Con Fraud is questionable. He was fired from CBS for making up rumors because his sources were poor and he was lazy.
The length of the body of Mendoza’s work is a little scary, but the one year last year was very impressive. I just wouldn’t be surprised to seem Mendoza bust. As a QB needy team the move has to be made to take him as the number 1 pick.
Good. Finding the elusive QB, HC, GM trifecta can be a longterm & consistent winning org operation. As a Oakland/L.A./L.V..Raiders fan since 1980 I think we may have a chance in finally finding that trio with Mendoza, Kubiak, Spytek.
Has to start at the very top – with ownership. If that’s right, it seems like they’ve got a chance.