📂 Categoría: NFL,College Football,Las Vegas Raiders | 📅 Fecha: 1777734622
🔍 En este artículo:
Fernando Mendoza is set to spearhead a new era for the Las Vegas Raiders after arriving in Sin City as the No. 1 overall draft pick.
The franchise’s decision to select the Indiana Hoosiers quarterback with the top pick came as a surprise to no one — and it was a move that had been clear for months.
After all, the Raiders desperately needed a franchise signal caller, and Mendoza was the standout player in the class of 2026.
But according to one NFL insider, the Heisman Trophy winner — who led Indiana to an undefeated season and national championship — was perhaps lucky that some of his rivals decided to stay in college for another year.
Fernando Mendoza ‘might not have been No. 1 pick’ if other QBs declared for draft
On Friday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero was asked to break down how Mendoza ranks against other prospects, and noted he might not have been the consensus top pick if someone like Dante Moore had declared for the draft.
“In all my quarterback research this year, and talking to people about Fernando Mendoza: Where would he fit in?” Pelissero told The Rich Eisen Show.
“He’s clearly QB one in this class, but where would he fit in to a broader group of quarterbacks?
“One of the things that came up repeatedly, was if some of the other guys came out this year, he might not have even been the No. 1 pick.
“Dante Moore is one — got a ton of money to go back to Oregon.
“Brendan Sorsby (Texas Tech) is another, who for some people had a really high grade — a first round grade.
“He would have been a first-round prospect in this draft.”
Class of 2027 shaping up to be best in recent memory
While Pelissero only dropped two names as he referenced Mendoza’s prospects, there is expected to be a lot more talent beyond Moore and Sorsby on the board next year.
The 2027 draft, in fact, is shaping up to be legendary.
While there is still plenty of time to study tape, and an entire college football season to watch, many analysts believe next year’s class could rival 2024 in terms of quarterback depth and the sheer volume of talent on both offense and defense.
Quarterbacks Arch Manning (Texas), Drew Mestemaker (Oklahoma State) and CJ Carr (Notre Dame) have also been named as top prospects in early mock drafts.
As have wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Cam Coleman, who both have a chance of going in the top five.
On defense, edge Dylan Stewart (South Carolina) and cornerback Leonard Moore (Notre Dame) are two names to watch.
The 2027 draft class is loaded, and while plenty could change in the next 12 months, it looks set to blow this year’s out of the water.
Mendoza and the Raiders, though, probably won’t mind.
Because the likes of Moore and Sorsby decided to stay in college, everyone believed Las Vegas selecting the Indiana star was a foregone conclusion since mid-January.
Raiders GM reveals how Fernando Mendoza won him over
But that didn’t stop general manager John Spytek and his staff from doing their due diligence throughout the pre-draft process.
Spytek got his first glance at his future QB in person during the national championship game, where the Hoosiers defeated the Miami Hurricanes, 27-21.
Mendoza guided his team to victory that night, and caught the eye with a stunning goal-line leap that secured Indiana their first title in program history.
That moment helped convince the Raiders he was the man for them.
“The iconic run in particular… the outcome of that game was highly decided on that play,” Spytek said.
“And the moment wasn’t too big for him. He didn’t speed up in the moment. I think my favorite part of it was the combination of awareness of where he was on the field and his willingness to put it all on the line for his teammates.”
Spytek added that he and the front office were sold on Mendoza by the time they arrived for his pro day in Bloomington, Indiana.
“It was less about the throwing part of it, but the way that he interacted with his teammates,” he explained.
“The way that he took charge of that workout… it was his show, but at the same time he was there for them too.
“I think he made that pretty well known afterwards.”
Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the news, exclusives, interviews and more.
Fernando Mendoza is set to spearhead a new era for the Las Vegas Raiders after arriving in Sin City as the No. 1 overall draft pick.
The franchise’s decision to select the Indiana Hoosiers quarterback with the top pick came as a surprise to no one — and it was a move that had been clear for months.
After all, the Raiders desperately needed a franchise signal caller, and Mendoza was the standout player in the class of 2026.
But according to one NFL insider, the Heisman Trophy winner — who led Indiana to an undefeated season and national championship — was perhaps lucky that some of his rivals decided to stay in college for another year.
Fernando Mendoza ‘might not have been No. 1 pick’ if other QBs declared for draft
On Friday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero was asked to break down how Mendoza ranks against other prospects, and noted he might not have been the consensus top pick if someone like Dante Moore had declared for the draft.
“In all my quarterback research this year, and talking to people about Fernando Mendoza: Where would he fit in?” Pelissero told The Rich Eisen Show.
“He’s clearly QB one in this class, but where would he fit in to a broader group of quarterbacks?
“One of the things that came up repeatedly, was if some of the other guys came out this year, he might not have even been the No. 1 pick.
“Dante Moore is one — got a ton of money to go back to Oregon.
“Brendan Sorsby (Texas Tech) is another, who for some people had a really high grade — a first round grade.
“He would have been a first-round prospect in this draft.”
Class of 2027 shaping up to be best in recent memory
While Pelissero only dropped two names as he referenced Mendoza’s prospects, there is expected to be a lot more talent beyond Moore and Sorsby on the board next year.
The 2027 draft, in fact, is shaping up to be legendary.
While there is still plenty of time to study tape, and an entire college football season to watch, many analysts believe next year’s class could rival 2024 in terms of quarterback depth and the sheer volume of talent on both offense and defense.
Quarterbacks Arch Manning (Texas), Drew Mestemaker (Oklahoma State) and CJ Carr (Notre Dame) have also been named as top prospects in early mock drafts.
As have wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Cam Coleman, who both have a chance of going in the top five.
On defense, edge Dylan Stewart (South Carolina) and cornerback Leonard Moore (Notre Dame) are two names to watch.
The 2027 draft class is loaded, and while plenty could change in the next 12 months, it looks set to blow this year’s out of the water.
Mendoza and the Raiders, though, probably won’t mind.
Because the likes of Moore and Sorsby decided to stay in college, everyone believed Las Vegas selecting the Indiana star was a foregone conclusion since mid-January.
Raiders GM reveals how Fernando Mendoza won him over
But that didn’t stop general manager John Spytek and his staff from doing their due diligence throughout the pre-draft process.
Spytek got his first glance at his future QB in person during the national championship game, where the Hoosiers defeated the Miami Hurricanes, 27-21.
Mendoza guided his team to victory that night, and caught the eye with a stunning goal-line leap that secured Indiana their first title in program history.
That moment helped convince the Raiders he was the man for them.
“The iconic run in particular… the outcome of that game was highly decided on that play,” Spytek said.
“And the moment wasn’t too big for him. He didn’t speed up in the moment. I think my favorite part of it was the combination of awareness of where he was on the field and his willingness to put it all on the line for his teammates.”
Spytek added that he and the front office were sold on Mendoza by the time they arrived for his pro day in Bloomington, Indiana.
“It was less about the throwing part of it, but the way that he interacted with his teammates,” he explained.
“The way that he took charge of that workout… it was his show, but at the same time he was there for them too.
“I think he made that pretty well known afterwards.”
Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the news, exclusives, interviews and more.
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📚 Información de la Fuente
| 📰 Publicación: | talksport.com |
| ✍️ Autor: | Oliver Browning |
| 📅 Fecha Original: | 2026-05-02 14:55:00 |
| 🔗 Enlace: | Ver artículo original |
Nota de transparencia: Este artículo ha sido traducido y adaptado del inglés al español para facilitar su comprensión. El contenido se mantiene fiel a la fuente original, disponible en el enlace proporcionado arriba.
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