Raiders Select Fernando Mendoza First Overall in 2026 NFL Draft

The Las Vegas Raiders selected quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh Thursday night. The 22-year-old skipped the event to celebrate at home in Miami with family, complete with a backyard roasted pig feast. He joins Cam Newton and Joe Burrow as the only players to win the Heisman Trophy, a national championship, and be drafted first overall in the same year.

From Two-Star Recruit to No. 1 NFL Draft Pick

Mendoza's path to the top of the draft was never guaranteed. A two-star recruit out of high school, he drew little college interest before breaking out at Indiana. Last season, he completed 72% of his passes for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns, and six interceptions, leading Indiana to its first national championship.

Raiders general manager John Spytek called him "a hard-working, driven, extremely smart young man" who "kept checking boxes" throughout the evaluation process. Mendoza will sign a four-year rookie contract worth $54.56 million, with a fifth-year team option.

Mendoza Reacts to Being Drafted First Overall

While the 2026 NFL Draft played out in Pittsburgh, Fernando Mendoza's life changed in a Miami backyard.

Watching from Miami, Mendoza was visibly emotional as commissioner Roger Goodell announced his name. "There's been a lot of anticipation whether I was going to end up here," he said. "And nothing was ever for certain, except for tonight. So when I saw that call, I got a whole lot of chills on my entire body, and I was ecstatic." He added that new head coach Klint Kubiak urged him to "stay humble and hungry and to keep on trying to learn every single day." Mendoza is just the fourth quarterback drafted by the Raiders in the first round since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.

Round 1 Recap: Love, Bailey and the Draft's Biggest Surprises

Beyond the top Las Vegas pick, the first round featured notable surprises. The New York Jets took Texas Tech pass rusher David Bailey at No. 2. Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love went third to Arizona, the highest running back selected since Saquon Barkley in 2018. Tennessee surprised many by selecting Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate at No. 4. The New York Giants took pass rusher Arvell Reese at No. 5 and offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa at No. 10. Mauigoa, who grew up in American Samoa, honored his roots with a collage on the back of his suit jacket. "I never thought I'd be here," he said. "If I can do it, you can do it."