Raiders Should Trade No. 1 Pick, Rights To Draft Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza

Everything is setting up for the Las Vegas Raiders to select Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Raiders need a quarterback and have an opportunity to select the reigning Heisman Trophy winner. 

Mendoza wants to play for the franchise, too.

However, FOX Sports' Danny Parkins doesn't think it'd be a good idea for the Raiders to draft Mendoza. 

On Tuesday's "First Things First," Parkins iterated that the Indiana quarterback isn't good enough of a prospect for the Raiders to use the No. 1 pick on him, believing Las Vegas is better off trading the selection. 

"Given how many holes the Raiders have and the comp for Mendoza seems to be that he's a Jared Goff type who's a little faster, but with a little worse arm — that can miss," Parkins said. "That's [not what the quarterbacks in the NFL look like today]. That can miss."

While Mendoza seems to be the clear favorite to be the No. 1 draft pick, he doesn't seem to be viewed in the same light as other top quarterback prospects in recent years. Both FOX Sports NFL Draft expert Rob Rang and analyst Bucky Brooks compared Mendoza to Goff, but Brooks has some questions on whether he can be a difference maker at the next level.

Still, Mendoza seems to be the clear-cut top quarterback prospect in this year's draft. Mendoza was the only quarterback to go in the first round in Rang's most recent mock draft. FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt, meanwhile, only had one quarterback other than Mendoza go in the first round of his most recent mock draft. He had the Pittsburgh Steelers taking Alabama's Ty Simpson with the No. 21 pick. 

So, with a lack of other high-end quarterback prospects in this year's draft, Parkins believes that the