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The Las Vegas Raiders are expected to make Fernando Mendoza, the national championship-winning quarterback from Indiana, the first overall pick in the NFL Draft next Thursday.
But that hasn’t stopped teams below the Raiders at No. 1 overall from calling their phone about a possible trade up scenario.
Raiders GM John Spytek spoke during a pre-NFL Draft news conference, during which he admitted to getting a “few calls” about the first overall selection his team owns.
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General manager John Spytek of the Las Vegas Raiders looks on before a game against the Cleveland Browns at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Nov. 23, 2025. (Chris Unger/Getty Images)
“Those teams know where they stand,” Spytek said, via ESPN.
Spytek said during the news conference that good trades can always materialize on draft night, sometimes even right before the pick. However, if a player stands out to the team, as Mendoza is believed to have done, the Raiders will turn down an offer.
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“If there’s a player that stands out that we feel it’s not worth losing, it’s not worth even picking up the phone, then we’ll just make the pick,” Spytek added. “But if it’s a player that we’re not as excited about, or there’s a group of players that we would love to pick from, and we can get value for that, we’re certainly open to listening to that.”
All signs point to Mendoza, who has cemented himself as the best quarterback in this draft after an undefeated season at Indiana. It also became more apparent that a quarterback was needed for Las Vegas after reaching a deal with the New York Jets to reunite them with Geno Smith, who was their starter in 2025 following a prior deal with the Seattle Seahawks.
The Raiders, however, did bring in Kirk Cousins after his release from the Atlanta Falcons, though his $20 million in guaranteed money on a whopping $172 million deal indicates he will serve as a mentor for whoever the Raiders bring in the building through the draft . Aidan O’Connell is also on the Raiders’ roster under new head coach Klint Kubiak.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza looks to throw a pass during the school’s NFL pro day in Bloomington, Indiana, on April 1, 2026. (AJ Mast/AP Photo)
Kubiak is fresh off a Super Bowl victory with the Seahawks, serving as their offensive coordinator before taking this promotion following a one-year stint by Pete Carroll in Sin City. It didn’t go according to plan for Las Vegas, resulting in the first overall selection.
But things are looking up for the silver and black, as Spytek used the team’s vast free agent cap room to sign the likes of center Tyler Linderbaum, linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker, and wide receiver Jalen Nailor, among others.
Now, Spytek and the franchise have their eyes set on improving the roster even more with potential cornerstone pieces through the NFL Draft. The Raiders possess 10 total picks, including the first overall selection, which is the first time they’ve had that slot since 2007.
And those picks, if it’s Mendoza or anyone else in the draft, will have to earn their roster spot and playing time like everyone else across the league.
John Spytek of the Las Vegas Raiders speaks during a press conference at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Ind., on Feb. 24, 2026. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
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“Ultimately, this is a meritocracy, and the best guy will play,” Spytek explained. “It’s just really hard to play really well at a young age. But we’ve seen plenty of quarterbacks do it recently. We added Kirk, we have Aidan, and we’ll see how it goes.”
The NFL Draft begins with the Raiders on the clock next Thursday in Pittsburgh.
