LAS VEGAS — The 2025 Raiders didn’t just lose; they flatlined. A 2-15 finish under the failed Pete Carroll experiment left the Silver and Black with nothing but a bruised ego and the first overall pick. But in the NFL, rock bottom is just a trampoline if you hit it hard enough.
Enter Klint Kubiak. The offensive mind arrives in Vegas with a mandate to fix a broken franchise, and he’s staring down a quarterback class with exactly one name written in permanent marker. With the Scouting Combine looming, the Raiders aren’t hiding their hand. They need a savior, and a certain Hoosier in Bloomington looks ready to wear the cape.
The Pick: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
Forget the smoke screens. The draft starts at No. 2 because Mendoza to Vegas is the worst-kept secret in the league. After transferring from Cal to Indiana and snatching the Heisman with a surgical 2025 campaign, Mendoza proved he isn’t just a system quarterback—he’s a system elevator.
Kubiak’s scheme demands a processor, not just a thrower. Mendoza’s tape shows a guy who manipulates safeties with his eyes and delivers on time, every time. He doesn’t have the bazooka arm of a Josh Allen, but his anticipation is elite. Think Sam Darnold’s 2024 resurgence but with a higher ceiling. He protects the football, hits the deep overs, and feeds his playmakers. With Brock Bowers demanding targets and Ashton Jeanty needing a QB who can check into the right run plays, Mendoza fits like a glove.
Day 2: Rebuilding the Spine
C.J. Allen, LB, Georgia
The Raiders’ defense in 2025 was soft up the middle. C.J. Allen fixes that instantly. He’s a throwback Mike linebacker who hits like a truck but moves like a modern safety. Allen ran the show for Kirby Smart’s defense, and his ability to diagnose run lanes before the snap is uncanny. He isn’t just a tackler; he’s a culture setter. Putting him behind Maxx Crosby gives Vegas a defensive identity they haven’t had in years.
Christen Miller, DT, Georgia
Why stop at one Bulldog? The Raiders need beef on the interior, and Miller is 300+ pounds of problem for opposing guards. He’s a run-stuffer first, capable of eating double teams to free up Crosby and Allen. He won’t lead the team in sacks, but he’ll be the reason the linebackers do. If he’s there at pick 36, the card should be turned in within seconds.
The Wildcards
Brenen Thompson, WR, Mississippi State
Speed kills, and Thompson has it in spades. The Mississippi State burner clocked a 10.38 in the 100m, and that speed translates to the field. He’s not a volume target, but he doesn’t need to be. In Kubiak’s offense, he’s the guy who takes the top off the defense while Bowers works the seams. If he touches the ball four times a game, one might go for 60 yards.
Genesis Smith, SAF, Arizona
The Raiders’ secondary got torched last year because they lacked a true centerfielder. Genesis Smith is that eraser. He has the range to go sideline-to-sideline and the ball skills to punish overthrown deep balls. Getting a starter-level free safety at the turn of Day 3 is how you win the draft.
“We need guys who hate losing more than they like winning. Last year was unacceptable. We’re scrubbing the building of that mentality. If you aren’t obsessed with the details, you won’t play for Klint.” — Maxx Crosby, Raiders DE (via The Rush Podcast)
What’s Next
The Combine in Indianapolis is the final hurdle. If Mendoza measures well and interviews cleanly, the ink is dry. The bigger question is whether GM Tom Telesco tries to trade back into the first round for an offensive tackle to protect his new investment. With the roster holes Vegas has, don’t rule out aggressive moves to secure a blindside protector for their new franchise QB.
