As expected, Fernando Mendoza has declared for the 2026 NFL Draft. The Heisman Trophy winner is just about a guarantee to go No. 1 overall in the draft if the draft happened now. The intrigue around this draft is that things can change by the time April comes around.
Change how?
With offseason workouts, the NFL Combine and team interviews, NFL scouts, draft analysts and even team front office executives could talk themselves out of Mendoza as the top pick or at least giving off that perception.
When it comes to teams like the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers, teams who are hungry for quarterbacks, the options after Mendoza goes off the board are thin when it comes to first round talent at the QB position. This does not mean a QB talent like Ty Simpson, Trinidad Chambliss or a Garrett Nussmeier won’t emerge, it just means that established NFL quarterbacks possibly on the trade block like a Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray, Kirk Cousins and Tua Tagovailoa could impact this draft board.
Could the Raiders pass on Mendoza, trade the pick in a package that includes one of the QB’s above and future draft capital?
2026 NFL Mock Draft Top 5: Blockbuster trade blindsides the draft board
There is no doubt Mendoza is the top quarterback prospect in this class based on his 2025 performance. The question is whether NFL teams, especially the Raiders see him as a franchise QB. There will be continuous rumors regarding the No. 1 overall pick up until the day of the draft, especially with trade rumors surrounding a couple of starting quarterbacks.
One of those quarterbacks is Kyler Murray who will become a name to watch throughout the offseason. Teams will be interested and the top landing spot will be Vegas.
In this mock draft, we explore what happens if the Raiders are open to the idea of trading the top pick for a Pro Bowl caliber QB like Murray. Could a change of scenery spark a resurgence in his career? What would the Raiders then do with the No. 3 overall pick?
Following a blockbuster trade, the Arizona Cardinals are on the board.
No. 1: Arizona Cardinals – Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
The Cardinals make a wager here and trade up two spots for the No. 1 overall pick to select Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza. Clearly the top QB pick in this draft, Mendoza led the Indiana Hoosiers to their first national championship and finished the season with 3,535 passing yards and led the nation with 41 touchdowns. A poised pocket passer, Mendoza has demonstrated he is willing to lay his body on the line for his team as he did in the national championship win over the Miami Hurricanes. In moving on from Kyler Murray, the Cardinals get their QB of the future with this huge wager to land Mendoza.
No. 2: New Yor Jets– Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
With Mendoza off the board, the New York Jets will be left with a big decision. Do they take a quarterback at No. 2 to just take a quarterback? With other options out there at the position, the Jets will take their chances in this draft in hopes of landing a QB or two later in the draft. At No. 2, the Jets take care of one of their defensive needs with the selection of Ohio State’s Arvell Reese who is labeled as one of the top linebackers in the draft. As a hybrid edge, Reese brings speed and explosiveness to the Jets’ defense and is a player who will add to the lack of pass rush production in 2025.
No. 3: Las Vegas Raiders– Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
The Raiders shock the 2026 NFL Draft twice. They trade for Kyler Murray and swap top 3 picks with the Cardinals and still select a quarterback at No. 3. Although Ty Simpson is the No. 2 ranked QB of the draft, taking him as high as No. 3 will open some eyes, particularly the team drafting ahead of them. The Raiders could use this pick to address other needs, but the idea here is Simpson gaining experience and leaning behind a veteran while the team is competing. The trade and this selection also mean the Raiders see Simpson as the QB with a higher upside than Mendoza. What about Murray? The selection keeps Murray motivated, but also gives the Raiders competition at the position and a decision in the future that could benefit the team
No. 4: Tennessee Titans – Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
With the new head coach hire of Robert Salah, the Tennessee Titans take one of the top defenders on the board in safety Caleb Downs. This draft will be about building around Cam board, but they do use this top pick to add an impact player on defense who will help shift the identity of the team and a player they can build around in reshaping the defense as well. Downs is a big play waiting to happy and a player who hold down the secondary. This could be an eye opener with top wide receivers and edge rushers on the board, but the player is a generational talent and the Titans will opt for the best available player which is Downs.
No. 5: New York Giants – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
The new John Harbaugh regime will focus on building around Jaxson Dart. In doing so, they give him another playmaker with the selection of Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate, a player who is an excellent route runner with a big frame (6-foot-3, 195 lbs) and catch radius. He doesn’t have the game-breaking speed most would expect from a top 5 pick as wide receiver, but with a healthy Malik Nabers back, the Giants will look for Tate to the highly impactful second option he was with the Buckeyes playing alongside Jeremiah Smith.