Mendoza Skips Draft, Heads to Raiders

0:00It's April 23rd, from kickoff to the final whistle. This is NFL News Today, powered by AI, I'm Cory with the story. Fernando Mendoza, the top quarterback prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft, is shaking things up by skipping the event altogether. He's projected as the number one overall pick for the Las Vegas Raiders, but instead of hitting the stage in Pittsburgh, he'll watch from home. The Raiders have struggled forever at quarterback, making Mendoza their obvious choice. Everyone in the league sees a coming. He's head and shoulders above the rest in this class. Fans and folks are buzzing about his decision, but it's all about family for him. His mom and parents push for a home celebration, especially with their family setup, keeping things simple and close-knit. He plans to jump on a flight the next morning straight to Vegas to join the team. No big drama there. Raiders' brass couldn't care less about the optics, they just need him to ball out like he did at Indiana and fix their cubie woes for years to come.