The 2026 NFL Draft is approaching on April 23, and the Las Vegas Raiders will likely have a new QB as many expect the Silver and Black to take Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick.
With Mendoza likely being the Raiders’ franchise QB, ESPN NFL analyst Troy Aikman shared his thoughts on how the young signal-caller will play a role in helping turn the Las Vegas franchise around and into a team that contends every season in a competitive AFC West.
“I like [Mendoza],” Aikman said during the April 15 episode of “New Heights.” “I like his accuracy. He’s tough, he’s played in big games, and he’s shown he can perform on a big stage. There’s a lot to be said for that. Now it’s about whether he ends up in the right situation.
“Is Vegas that place where he can really excel? It’s easy to say yes because Tom Brady is an owner with a vested interest, but he’s not going to be directly involved day to day. There’s still a lot going on within that organization. But I like the young man, and I’ll be pulling for him. I root for all these guys to do well, and I’ll be rooting for him when he gets his chance.”
Raiders Need to Make Sure Fernando Mendoza Is a Franchise QB
Moreover, Aikman noted that the Raiders need to ensure Mendoza is a guy who can be a franchise QB. He notes that the lack of high-end signal-callers in the league and teams lacking a bona fide starter can lead them to think a player coming out of the draft can be one.
“I was just having this conversation with someone else, every year there’s a best quarterback in the draft, right?“ Aikman noted. “There’s always a top guy, but that doesn’t mean every year there’s a true franchise quarterback.
“And I’m not suggesting Mendoza isn’t one at all. I’m just saying that’s what has to be evaluated: Is he worthy of the first overall pick, or should he maybe not go that high?
“As we’ve talked about, the league is so starved for quarterbacks that if you’re one of those teams that needs one, they all start to look like franchise guys. You can talk yourself into it pretty quickly.”
John Spytek Gets Blunt About Las Vegas’ QB Situation
In the offseason, the Silver and Black signed Kirk Cousins, and many expect the team to draft Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Although the team could take the cautious approach and have the veteran start Week 1, Spytek noted that while that’s the philosophy the Raiders appear to have with Cousins now in the fold, the way they intend to name a starting QB will be based on merit.
“Ultimately, this is a meritocracy, and the best guy will play,“ Spytek told reporters on April 14. “It’s just really hard to play really well at a young age, but we’ve seen plenty of quarterbacks do it recently. You know how that goes going forward. Obviously, we added Kirk, we have Aidan [O’Connell], and we’ll see how it goes, but the best man will play.”
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