‘The Las Vegas Raiders’ future could hinge on their next quarterback, and now the team’s undisputed leader, Maxx Crosby, is breaking his silence on the player everyone expects them to draft. Recently, the Raiders player appeared on the Let’s Go podcast with Jim Gray. When asked about having Mendoza as a teammate, the DE had an honest answer.

“I don’t know him at all, so I can’t speculate on that, but I will say his interviews, unbelievable,” said Maxx Crosby on the Let’s Go podcast. “When I’ve seen the first one, they beat Ohio State in the Big 10 championship. I’m not gonna lie, I was not expecting that at all, but that was one of the funniest things I have ever seen. It was so genuine and hilarious at the same time, but you could just tell he’s a winner.”

Projected to be the top draft pick for 2026, many believe that the Raiders will be bringing Mendoza in. Betting on the young quarterback, Crosby continued.

“He’s gonna have an incredible career in the NFL,” the defensive end continued. “Yeah, he’s hell of a player, man. His story is unique. He wasn’t the biggest recruit or anything like that, but he’s built himself into a winner and is about to be a national champion. It’s incredible.”

Crosby’s honest admission about Mendoza was fairly positive, with a few laughs in between. Mendoza’s performance has been more than just exceptional this season. He has a 73% pass completion rate, covering 3,349 passing yards, and scored 41 touchdowns. He leads college football in total touchdowns and quarterback rating (90.2). Surprisingly, the Heisman Trophy winner is a junior redshirt, yet his stats are off the charts.

For most of the season, there have been some debates on who is a better QB: Fernando Mendoza or Dante Moore? The latest game between the Indiana Hoosiers and Oregon Ducks just proved Mendoza will be the hottest property in the upcoming draft. The Hoosiers won by 56-22, with the quarterback’s box score reading 17-of-20 passes made for 177 yards and five touchdowns.

The Raiders have the first pick in the upcoming draft, courtesy of their 3-14 finish in the regular season. With them lacking a proper QB, they will try to address the problem by drafting Mendoza, especially after what he has accomplished. QB Geno Smith is 35-years-old and cannot be regarded as a long-term investment. In fact, the starting QB was ranked 26th by the NFL earlier this week for his season. On the other hand, Aidan O’Connell and Kenny Pickett have barely gotten any minutes this season as QB2 and QB3 options.

The Las Vegas pass rusher also praised his ability to hold onto his composure in big games and interviews. While he spoke about a lot, he never really answered the question about the possibility of them being teammates in the future. Keeping the speculations aside, there might be another reason Crosby avoided speaking about Mendoza being his teammate. The 28-year-old might be heading to Detroit for 2026.

The Detroit Lions can come calling for Maxx Crosby

The Las Vegas Raiders (then Oakland Raiders) drafted Maxx Crosby in 2019. Unfortunately, the DE never reached a Super Bowl, let alone winning one. In fact, he is yet to play his first Divisional Playoff game. With nothing notable to add to his trophy cabinet, the pass rusher could look for a different franchise to achieve his dreams. According to Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox, the Detroit Lions could come knocking.

If Detroit comes calling, it will not be a lowball attempt. Landing Maxx Crosby would cost the Lions a massive haul, with the Raiders projected to receive a 2026 first-round pick (No. 17 overall), a 2026 fifth-rounder, a 2027 first-round pick, and a 2027 fourth-round selection. For a Raiders franchise staring at a full-scale reset, that kind of draft capital could fast-track a rebuild and finally give the front office the flexibility it desperately needs.

Adding Crosby to the roster will put some pressure off Aidan Hutchinson and make their defense more stable. Except for rushing defense, the Lions’ defense has been in the lower half of the league. Although he was benched for the last two regular-season games, he recorded 10 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one interception. It is a win-win trade for either franchise.

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Maxx Crosby signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension with the Raiders in March 2025, making him one of the highest-paid non-quarterbacks in NFL history. If Las Vegas were to trade him early in the 2026 offseason, Spotrac projections show the Raiders carrying a small dead cap hit ($5.1 million) while saving roughly $30.7 million in 2026 cap space.

Though Crosby has not requested a trade, there have been signs of frustration. He disagreed with the team’s decision when he was benched against the Giants. Meanwhile, John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady will be focused on finding an HC. While the futures of many of these players, from Mendoza to Crosby, are merely speculated, there’s no doubt that the Las Vegas Raiders could be in for some big changes.