Fernando Mendoza to Raiders, Fans React to B/R's Top QB Going 1st in 2026 NFL Draft

The Las Vegas Raiders have their franchise quarterback.

Las Vegas selected Indiana signal-caller Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in Thursday's 2026 NFL draft and now have their franchise cornerstone as they look to compete in the loaded AFC West.

Social media had no shortage of reaction to the top pick:

Becoming the No. 1 overall pick caps off quite a whirlwind climb for Mendoza.

He decided to transfer from California to Indiana ahead of the 2025 college football season, which meant joining the program that had the most losses in the sport's history at the beginning of the campaign.

That loss total is still the same.

All Mendoza did was lead the Hoosiers to an undefeated regular season, a victory over the reigning national champions in Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game, and wins over Alabama, Oregon and Miami in the College Football Playoff on the way to the national title.

Along the way, he won the Heisman Trophy and solidified himself as a top NFL draft prospect.

Fernando Mendoza highlights

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The latest big board from B/R's NFL Scouting Department ranked him as the No. 3 overall player and best quarterback who was the "most accurate" and "most pro-ready" among his positional counterparts.

B/R's scouting report listed "Matt Ryan with mobility" as his pro comparison and highlighted his "high football IQ and quick post-snap processing" to go along with accuracy at all three levels when making throws.

While it also suggested Mendoza needs to improve his decision-making when pressured instead of rushing the process too much, there is plenty to like about the national champion and Heisman Trophy winner.

That is why the Raiders selected him with the No. 1 overall pick, and it is now up to him to live up to the sky-high expectations that will be put in place from the moment he takes the field.

Whether he can do so will go a long way toward determining Las Vegas' overall outlook in a daunting division that already features three franchise quarterbacks in Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs), Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers) and Bo Nix (Denver Broncos).

The Raiders are trying to close the gap, and they surely hope they have their answer in the quarterback arm race.