While Tom Brady is a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, he will have a major influence over who the team selects as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. On January 19, Brady showed up with the Raiders’ leadership unit on the sidelines for the CFP national championship game to get a close look at Indiana Hoosiers quarterback, Fernando Mendoza. Mock drafts have projected Mendoza to become the next face of Brady’s franchise, but former Raiders quarterback Derek Carr recently urged Tom Brady not to draft Mendoza.

“I said they [Raiders] should not take him [Fernando Mendoza] unless they fix everything else,” Derek Carr said on the latest episode of his Home Grown with David & Derek Carr podcast. “For the record, he should absolutely be the first overall pick. I wanna see him in Silver and Black so bad. I love him. But I don’t want to see him get beaten down and see that happy face not be able to look into that camera during that interview.”

Earlier, Derek Carr had replied to some fans on X, suggesting that drafting Mendoza without fixing the issues around him would be a disaster for the Raiders. Some fans took that as Carr saying the Raiders shouldn’t draft Mendoza at all. But Carr used his podcast to make it clear that he wants Mendoza in Las Vegas. Carr just doesn’t want a rookie quarterback with huge potential to get wrecked by a bad roster.

Fernando Mendoza threw for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns, six interceptions, and a ridiculous 182.9 passer rating in 16 games to become the Heisman Trophy winner in 2025. He also led the Hoosiers to an undefeated national championship run and won the Big Ten. But even the best rookie QBs struggle in the NFL, so would Mendoza really walk into Las Vegas and immediately thrive? Carr doesn’t think so, at least, not with the current roster.

The Raiders’ 2025 season was a mess. With Pete Carroll as head coach and Geno Smith as QB1, Las Vegas finished the season with a 3-14 record. Despite having young stars like running back Ashton Jeanty and tight end Brock Bowers on the roster, they had a disappointing run.

After wrapping the season, the Raiders fired Carroll, and a new HC search is underway in Las Vegas. But coaching isn’t the only problem with the Raiders – there are many other issues up front.

The Raiders finished the 2025 season with the 32nd-ranked offense in the league, with an average of 245.2 yards per game, and only 25 total TDs overall. The Raiders’ defense then ranked 14th, allowing 317.8 yards and 49 TDs. If the Raiders fail to fix these units before Mendoza arrives, they will put the rookie in a tough position.

“Mendoza’s the No. 1 overall pick, but in free agency, you’d better spend every bit of your money to put it around him,” Derek Carr added in his podcast.

According to Overthecap, the Raiders are projected to have $82.4 million in cap space in 2026. Carr wants the team to use that money wisely and build an actual support system before asking a rookie QB to save the franchise. And Tom Brady seems to understand the scale of the challenge that his team faces heading into the next season.

“I think every team right now is going through their own process to try to figure out what best suits them,” Tom Brady said recently in an interview. “We want to deliver a winner in Las Vegas. The fan base deserves it, and it’s been a long time. So, there’s a lot of pieces of the puzzle you got to get right, but I’m certainly very excited that we’re going to get things going in the right direction.”

Let’s be realistic, even with Mendoza, the Raiders probably won’t become a playoff team overnight. A new HC and a rookie QB almost guarantee growing pains; still, the fans will at least want to see progress next season. But as for Mendoza, in a weak QB class, he stands alone at the top. That’s why mock drafts have already tied Mendoza to Las Vegas.

ESPN’s NFL 2026 Mock Draft links Fernando Mendoza to Tom Brady

In the months ahead, stars from the national championship game, like Fernando Mendoza, offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa, and defensive end Rueben Bain Jr., will reportedly dominate 2026 mock drafts. But ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. had no doubts that Tom Brady’s Raiders would take Mendoza when he released his new mock draft after the National Championship game.

“This is an easy one. The Raiders traded a third-round pick for Geno Smith less than a year ago, but it hasn’t worked out,” Kiper wrote. “He finished the 2025 season ranked 27th of 28 qualified passers in QBR (34.1), throwing 17 interceptions over 15 games. And with a new coach (to be determined) coming in, it’s time for a fresh start. Mendoza could join Joe Burrow and Cam Newton in going undefeated for the season, winning the Heisman Trophy and the national championship, and going No. 1 in the draft all inside a 12-month window.”

“Mendoza transferred to the Hoosiers from Cal and immediately leveled up, throwing 41 touchdown passes and just six interceptions in 2025,” Kiper added. “I see great ball placement on the tape, and he’s a no-brainer to begin Round 1. Las Vegas could start to build something offensively here with Mendoza, running back Ashton Jeanty, and tight end Brock Bowers.”

Top Stories

Josh Allen’s Stance on Brian Daboll’s Hiring Confirmed as Bills Mafia Signs Petition for Sean McDermott’s Return

Patrick Mahomes Bids Emotional Goodbye as Chiefs Part Ways With Longtime Coach

Colts Issue Statement on FBI Investigation Into Jim Irsay’s Death as Controversial Details Emerge After Former Owner’s Passing

Travis Kelce Announces New Career Move For Brother Jason Amid Taylor Swift Breakup Rumors

Tyreek Hill Issues Final Statement on Chiefs Return After Cryptic Eric Bieniemy Message

Las Vegas might not have the necessary talent to justify using its No.1 draft pick on Fernando Mendoza. But will the Raiders really get another chance like this? Teams rarely trade out of the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft unless they already have their franchise QB. And this draft looks like a one-QB class – there’s Mendoza, and then there’s a big gap.

So, the only scenario where Tom Brady’s team might even consider trading down in the 2026 NFL Draft is if they somehow land a veteran QB first. Yes, the team’s roster needs work, and Derek Carr’s concerns make sense. But a franchise quarterback like Mendoza doesn’t come around often, so the Raiders are not expected to overthink the decision.