The Las Vegas Raiders are expected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 NFL draft. There were some silly rumors going around social media that suggested the Raiders may be willing to trade the top pick. Nonsense. Those rumors have already been dispelled by the notion that Mendoza is already searching for real estate in the Vegas area.
Former Raiders general manager Tom Telesco was recently on The Schrager Hour with ESPN’s Peter Schrager. Telesco, who drafted Brock Bowers in 2024, discussed his admiration for Mendoza as a prospect. Telesco said he would not consider trading the No. 1 pick.
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“If I’m there [picking No. 1 overall for the Raiders], you can’t offer me enough,” Telesco said. “I’m taking Mendoza. If you need a QB and there’s a potential franchise QB, you should probably take him. They just don’t come around very often.”
Telesco then got into the Raiders’ need to quickly build the roster around Mendoza. John Spytek and Klint Kubiak must use their vast resources in free agency and the NFL draft to surround Mendoza with talent. Telesco is correct though, you can’t offer the Raiders enough to convince them to trade the No. 1 selection.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Former Raiders GM loves QB Fernando Mendoza