Raiders rumors: Fernando Mendoza might not have been QB1 if Dante Moore came out

As Las Vegas Raiders star Fernando Mendoza will be the new face of the franchise, as he was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, there is discussion about whether he would have been the pick if other players had come out of college. With the Raiders’ 2026 NFL Draft complete, Mendoza is the player who will hopefully take the team to new heights, but this NFL insider takes a theoretical look at other quarterbacks.

NFL insider Tom Pelissero would give insight into the quarterback research he’s done, especially when it comes to talking to sources on Mendoza, and some are convinced there’s a world where he wouldn’t be the No. 1 pick. This could be true if other signal-callers like Oregon Ducks’ Dante Moore or even Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby came out and declared for the 2026 NFL Draft.

“In all my quarterback research this year and talking to people about Fernando Mendoza…where would he fit into a broader group of quarterbacks? And one of the things that came up repeatedly was if some of the other guys came out this year, he might not even be the number one pick,” Pellisero said.

“Dante Moore from Oregon is one,” Pelissero continued. “Brendan Sorsby is another who, for some people, had a really high grade, a first-round grade.”

"If some of the other guys came out this year, [Fernando Mendoza] might not even be the No. 1 pick."@TomPelissero breaks down Fernando Mendoza and how he ranks against other prospects pic.twitter.com/RErfRnsHGP

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) May 1, 2026

A look at Raiders’ Fernando Mendoza and the other quarterbacks listed

There’s no denying the talent that Mendoza has and appears to have a bright future with the Raiders, especially after his final season with the Indiana Hoosiers. On top of capturing a national championship with the Hoosiers, he was also the winner of the Heisman Trophy, throwing for 3,535 yards to go along with 41 touchdowns and six interceptions.

As for Moore, he had an impressive season with the Ducks in 2025, throwing for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 picks, whereas Sorsby played with the Cincinnati Bearcats in 2025 and recorded 2,800 yards, 27 touchdowns, and five picks. Sorsby, though, is dealing with a situation connected to gambling that could’ve impacted his draft status if he came out.

It doesn’t seem that Las Vegas is complaining about drafting Mendoza.

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