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The Las Vegas Raiders are expected to make Fernando Mendoza, the national championship-winning quarterback from Indiana, the first overall pick in the NFL Draft next Thursday.
But that hasn’t stopped teams below the Raiders at No. 1 overall from calling their phones about a possible trade scenario.
Raiders GM John Spytek spoke during a pre-NFL Draft press conference where he admitted to receiving a few calls about the first overall selection his team owns.
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Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek looks on before a game against the Cleveland Browns at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Nov. 23, 2025. (Chris Unger/Getty Images)
“They know where they stand,” Spytek said via ESPN.
Spytek said during the press conference that good trades can always materialize on draft night, sometimes even right before the pick. But if a player stands out for the team, as Mendoza is believed to have done, the Raiders will decline an offer.
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“If there’s a player that stands out that we feel is not worth losing, not worth picking up the phone, then we just pick,” Spytek added. “But if it’s a player that we’re not that excited about or there’s a group of players that we’d love to pick from and we can get value for that, we’re certainly open to listening to that.”
All signs point to Mendoza, who has cemented himself as the best quarterback in this draft after an undefeated season at Indiana. It also became more apparent that a quarterback was needed for Las Vegas after striking a deal with the New York Jets to reunite them with Geno Smith, who was their starter in 2025 after an earlier deal with the Seattle Seahawks.
However, the Raiders picked up Kirk Cousins following his release from the Atlanta Falcons, though his $20 million in guaranteed money on a whopping $172 million trade indicates he will serve as a mentor to whoever the Raiders bring into the building through the draft. Aidan O’Connell is also on the Raiders’ roster under new head coach Klint Kubiak.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza looks to throw a pass during the school’s NFL pro day in Bloomington, Indiana, on April 1, 2026. (AJ Mast/AP Photo)
Fresh off a Super Bowl win with the Seahawks, Kubiak served as their offensive coordinator before taking this promotion after a one-year stint by Pete Carroll in Sin City. It didn’t go according to plan for Las Vegas, resulting in the first overall pick.
But things are looking up for the silver and black, as Spytek used the team’s huge free agent space to sign, among others, center Tyler Linderbaum, linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker and wide receiver Jalen Nailor.
Now, Spytek and the franchise have their eyes set on improving the roster even more with potential cornerstone pieces through the NFL Draft. The Raiders have a total of 10 picks, including the first overall selection, marking the first time they’ve had that slot since 2007.
And those picks, if it’s Mendoza or anyone else in the draft, have to earn their roster spot and playing time like everyone else around the league.
John Spytek of the Las Vegas Raiders speaks during a news conference at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Ind., on Feb. 24, 2026. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
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“At the end of the day, this is a meritocracy and the best guy will play,” Spytek explained. “It’s just really hard to play really well at a young age. But we’ve seen a lot of quarterbacks do that recently. We added Kirk, we’ve got Aidan, and we’ll see how it goes.”
The NFL Draft begins with the Raiders on the clock next Thursday in Pittsburgh.
