The Las Vegas Raiders are staring down a pivotal offseason-one that could finally flip the script for a franchise that’s been stuck in neutral for far too long. With 10 draft picks, including the No. 1 overall selection, and north of $100 million in cap space, the Raiders have the kind of war chest that front offices dream about.
And at the center of it all? A potential franchise quarterback in Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.
Mendoza isn’t just a prospect-he’s the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner and national champion. He’s done everything you could ask of a college quarterback, checking every box from production to poise.
The expectation, and frankly the overwhelming likelihood, is that he’ll be the first name called in April. But as always, there are voices calling for a trade down-more picks, more chances, more flexibility.
That’s the eternal debate when you’re sitting at No. 1: take the sure thing, or play the long game.
Former Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has weighed in, and his stance is clear-sort of. Carr initially voiced concerns about drafting Mendoza, pointing out the obvious: the Raiders have holes, and one quarterback can’t fix everything overnight. But Carr later clarified his comments, and he didn’t mince words.
“Woahhhh let’s correct,” Carr wrote on social media. “He’s the obvious pick if the Raiders actually fix the problems around him.
Drafting him and changing nothing won’t work. Get healthy.
Add studs. Go Raiders.”
It’s not a dismissal of Mendoza’s talent-it’s a challenge to the organization. Carr doubled down on his podcast, Home Grown, making it clear he believes Mendoza should absolutely be the pick. But he also laid out the stakes.
“I want him to be the quarterback,” Carr said. “But I also want them to do so much around him that when he walks in there, he's the greatest Raider of all-time. I said that they should not take him unless they fix everything else… Mendoza’s the No. 1 overall pick, but in free agency, you better spend every bit of your money to put it around him.”
Carr’s message is simple: don’t let this kid walk into a broken situation. Don’t waste a generational talent by surrounding him with a patchwork supporting cast.
And the good news? The Raiders are in a rare position to do exactly what Carr is asking.
They’ve got the draft capital. They’ve got the cap space.
And they’ve got a young offensive core that, while still developing, has some real promise. Brock Bowers is already looking like a future star at tight end.
Ashton Jeanty brings explosiveness out of the backfield. Tre Tucker, Michael Mayer, Jack Bech, and Dont’e Thornton Jr. all flashed at times in 2025.
What they’re missing is a true WR1-a dominant outside threat who can tilt coverage and make life easier for a rookie quarterback.
But even more pressing than wide receiver? The offensive line. That’s where this rebuild has to start.
Left tackle Kolton Miller is expected to return after missing most of the 2025 season, and that’s a big piece. When healthy, he’s one of the more reliable blindside protectors in the league.
Jackson Powers-Johnson is another name to watch, though it’s still unclear whether he’ll anchor the middle at center or slide over to guard. Either way, the line needs major reinforcements.
If the Raiders can use their cap space and draft picks to shore up the trenches, Mendoza won’t just survive-he’ll have a real shot to thrive.
This is the kind of offseason that can define a franchise for the next decade. Get it right, and the Raiders could finally have their guy under center-one with the talent, leadership, and pedigree to change everything.
But as Carr made clear, it’s not just about drafting Fernando Mendoza. It’s about building the right environment around him.
Because if the Raiders do that, they won’t just be drafting a quarterback-they’ll be laying the foundation for a new era in Las Vegas.