The couldn't have started their Friday much better. They now know that Fernando Mendoza will be on Daniel Duarte Jersey the board when they are on the clock with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Mendoza made it official Friday morning, announcing that he's entering the NFL Draft. He had more college eligibility, but there's no surprise here -- Mendoza is widely expected to be the first player taken. The Indiana quarterback won both the Heisman Trophy and the national championship. His next task, presumably, will be to turn around the Raiders. MORE: Vegas sought out a new QB before the 2025 season and brought in Geno Smith from the . Smith regre sed in a major way, threw too many interceptions and made clear he wouldn't be the answer going forward for the Raiders. Smith's struggles are a big reason the Raiders ended up with the league's worst record and the top pick in the first place. Mendoza proved in his transfer from Cal to Indiana that he could quickly adjust to something new, and now he'll have a big challenge in the NFL. MORE: He'll have a top-tier tight end to work with, Brock Bowers, and a RB who was taken in the top-10 a year ago, Ashton Jeanty. The Raiders will have to work on upgrading their WR room to give Mendoza more to throw to, but the important part for them will be that, barring a shocking twist, they'll have their franchise QB, and it'll be time to build around him. More NFL news: Ryan Jensen Jersey