A year ago, no one imagined that someone named Fernando Mendoza would become the No. 1 overall pick in the Draft-but that’s exactly what’s about to happen. This comes after a historic season with the Indiana Hoosiers, along with setbacks from other quarterbacks like Drew Allar, who ended up injured, and Cade Klubnik, who had a disappointing season.

As a result, the worst team in the NFL, the Las Vegas Raiders, will hold the first overall pick in the Draft. With quarterback being their biggest need, they are expected to select Fernando Mendoza, who will immediately become the new leader of the team-especially following the departure of Geno Smith to the New York Jets, a move that ultimately didn’t work out.

The last time the Raiders had the No. 1 overall pick was 19 years ago. Back then, they selected a quarterback who was considered a generational talent due to his performance at USC-yes, the well-known case of JaMarcus Russell, who turned out to be a major bust and never got another NFL opportunity after just three seasons.

The Raiders will give Fernando Mendoza the protection he needs

For now, the Raiders haven’t brought in elite wide receivers for Mendoza, but they are taking the first crucial step: building protection.

First, they signed the best center in the league, Tyler Linderbaum, to an impressive three-year, $80 million contract, making him the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history.

Now, the Raiders have reached an agreement with offensive guard Spencer Burford, who has a strong chance to become a starter right away. He was once a starter on the 49ers’ offensive line, which speaks highly of him-especially considering how competitive that unit has been in recent years.

Burford moves well for his size, making him ideal for zone-blocking schemes and a great fit for Klint Kubiak’s offensive system. There’s little doubt he could become a starter and provide much-needed help to an offensive line that was the worst in the league last season, after Geno Smith led the NFL with 55 sacks taken in 2024.

Step by step, the Raiders are starting to build protection around Fernando Mendoza. Now the question is whether they’ll make a splash by adding a quality wide receiver to support their future quarterback.

There’s still a long way to go for this team to become competitive, but they’re taking the right first steps-and the Draft is still ahead.