The top pick of the 2026 NFL Draft has signed on the dotted line.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is officially a member of the Las Vegas Raiders after signing his four-year rookie contract on Thursday, the day rookies reported for training camp.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported it is a four-year deal worth a fully guaranteed $57.27 million. Mendoza's contract, like each first-round pick, has a fifth-year option.
The reigning national champion and Heisman Trophy winner can now get to work in earnest learning head coach Klint Kubiak's offense.
Unlike recent No. 1 overall selections -- the Tennessee Titans' Cam Ward, the Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams, etc. -- Mendoza isn't guaranteed to begin the Raiders' 2026 campaign as the starter. Veteran Kirk Cousins could well be the team's QB1 early on as Kubiak has previously stated he would prefer to start a veteran out of the gates if the situation is suitable.
With Mendoza a question mark to begin the season in the starting lineup, the upcoming season could be the first in which a rookie QB isn't starting in Week 1 since 2022.
There is no doubt that Mendoza is the future of the Raiders organization, however.
After a dismal 3-14 season, the Raiders used the franchise's second No. 1 overall pick in the Common Draft Era (since 1967) to pick Mendoza. The Silver and Black selected LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell No. 1 overall in 2007.
Following Cam Newton (2011, Carolina Panthers) and Joe Burrow (2020, Cincinnati Bengals), Mendoza is just the third quarterback in the Super Bowl era to win the Heisman and a national title prior to being taken No. 1 overall in the ensuing NFL draft, per NFL Research.
Bringing a winning pedigree and coming off a 2025 season in which he threw an FBS-leading 41 touchdowns, Mendoza has officially signed on to turn around the Raiders.
