The signs keep pointing to the Raiders taking Fernando Mendoza
NBC Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- The Raiders are heavily favored to select quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in the draft, with odds at -20000 suggesting near certainty.
- During Kirk Cousins’s introductory press conference, he acknowledged the Raiders' quarterback depth chart featuring Big Ten players, implying confidence Mendoza will be drafted.
- While nothing is officially confirmed until the draft, historical precedents of surprise picks are rare, and current conditions make a deviation from selecting Mendoza unlikely.
- A trade would have to offer the Raiders significant draft capital and roster improvements to bypass Mendoza, similar to the Bears' 2023 move trading out of the top pick.
- No credible trade offers or alternative plans have surfaced publicly, indicating the Raiders are likely to proceed with drafting Mendoza as expected.
