3 Round 2026 Nfl Mock Draft Where Does The Fernando Mendoza Go

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Jan 8, 2026, 12:47 PM

3 round 2026 nfl mock draft where does the fernando mendoza go

The Las Vegas Raiders finally catch a break. While the Browns were complicating things for the Steelers in their quest to wrap up the AFC North in Week 17 -- and, in the process, realistically falling out of range for the top... That result puts Las Vegas in pole position to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. There will be debate about whether Mendoza is worth the top pick (he is) or whether other quarterbacks could challenge him for QB1 (they can in theory, but Mendoza is the surest thing as... Either way, a year after passing on Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart at No. 6 in favor of running back Ashton Jeanty, the Raiders have no choice but to draft a quarterback this spring.

After that, it's worth watching how the rest of the class shakes out. A long list of quarterbacks has already opted to return to school in 2026 -- either staying put or entering the transfer portal -- which could push QB-needy teams like the Jets, Cardinals, Browns,... In this mock, there are no trades, but three quarterbacks come off the board in the top five, leaving the Browns -- who own two first-round picks in 2026 -- on the outside looking... Instead, Cleveland addresses wide receiver and offensive line, signaling a commitment to the two rookie quarterbacks it drafted last spring, at least for now. It also means the Cardinals, picking fifth, land Simpson as QB3 in the class -- the third time since 2018 that Arizona has used a high first-round pick on a franchise quarterback. The Las Vegas Raiders finally catch a break.

While the Browns were complicating things for the Steelers in their quest to wrap up the AFC North in Week 17 -- and, in the process, realistically falling out of range for the top... That result puts Las Vegas in pole position to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. There will be debate about whether Mendoza is worth the top pick (he is) or whether other quarterbacks could challenge him for QB1 (they can in theory, but Mendoza is the surest thing as... Either way, a year after passing on Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart at No. 6 in favor of running back Ashton Jeanty, the Raiders have no choice but to draft a quarterback this spring. After that, it's worth watching how the rest of the class shakes out.

A long list of quarterbacks has already opted to return to school in 2026 -- either staying put or entering the transfer portal -- which could push QB-needy teams like the Jets, Cardinals, Browns,... In this mock, there are no trades, but three quarterbacks come off the board in the top five, leaving the Browns -- who own two first-round picks in 2026 -- on the outside looking... Instead, Cleveland addresses wide receiver and offensive line, signaling a commitment to the two rookie quarterbacks it drafted last spring, at least for now. It also means the Cardinals, picking fifth, land Simpson as QB3 in the class -- the third time since 2018 that Arizona has used a high first-round pick on a franchise quarterback. The 2025 NFL regular season is in the books! That means 18 teams are looking forward to the 2026 NFL Draft, among other notable offseason events.

Who should your team target? We take our latest shots right here. In this mock draft, Charles McDonald makes the odd-numbered picks, and Nate Tice makes the even. Draft order via Tankathon. More 2026 NFL mock drafts: 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 The Raiders need a quarterback. With the transfer policy and NIL revenue encouraging players to maximize their college eligibility, the 2026 NFL Draft lacks the bonanza of high-end talent we’ve seen in previous years.

The NFL Draft is quietly sneaking up on us as the new year approaches in just 16 days. With the new year will come a new NFL Draft class that will be expected to impact the NFL and the teams that make the picks looking to make a quick turnaround. However, compared to recent classes, the star quarterback options are going to be VERY limited. There will be Heisman Trophy Winner Fernando Mendoza, but beyond that, the class seems to be thin. Oregon's Dante Moore is undecided as to whether he will be in the draft, but a strong playoff performance could sway him one way. Beyond them, though, the talent is murky, and this is very much going to favor teams in need of defensive help for next season.

Can stars emerge from the ashes of this class when things are settled? Of course, but the odds are always stacked against them. For now, though, we are playing the eternal optimist as we are sure every team will love all their picks on their way to feeling this is the answer to their Super Bowl absenteeism. The New York Giants will not be needing a quarterback, though they might down the road if they keep having Jaxson Dart play like a fullback. So that means that they are trading this pick to the Arizona Cardinals as they remain in quarterback purgatory with Kyler Murray's massive contract and a willingness to move on from him. They will need someone on the cheap end of things, and you could do worse in the Heisman Trophy winner, Fernando Mendoza.

The Raiders are a roster that has a lot of holes, but they do have a veteran quarterback in Geno Smith. Because of that, Dante Moore is going to Las Vegas as they spend another year building the roster up, but he can at least sit behind Smith and develop a bit more. It is still early in the season, but the narrative surrounding NFL teams and college football players is beginning to take shape. Some 2026 NFL Draft prospects are confirming their lofty status, while others still have a lot to prove to become early-round picks. This 2026 NFL Mock Draft order has been decided using the PFSN Mock Draft Simulator. While a half-dozen quarterbacks were expected to compete for the top selection in the preseason, the season’s opening weeks have witnessed those prospects fail to meet expectations, with one notable exception.

Fernando Mendoza has undoubtedly been the most electrifying NFL Draft-eligible quarterback in the early going. The Cal transfer has earned a stellar 84.4 (B) PFSN’s College QBi grade and has emerged as an NFL Draft media darling. The Indiana signal-caller has prototypical size at 6’5” and 225 pounds and possesses explosive rushing ability and cannon-like arm strength. Additionally, he remains unflappable in the pocket under pressure and puts some of the most blistering velocity on the ball of any quarterback in this class. Fernando Mendoza and top-seeded Indiana will take on Alabama in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Michael Reaves / Getty Images

The race for the NFL’s worst record has a firm leader heading into the final lap. At 2-14 with one game left (versus the Chiefs), the Raiders are the current favorites to land the No. 1 pick for the 2026 NFL Draft. Four three-win teams remain right behind Las Vegas: the Giants (versus Dallas in Week 18), Jets (at Buffalo), Titans (at Jacksonville) and Cardinals (at Rams). While we wait for the final non-playoff teams to settle into place, here’s a look at how the first 18 picks of this year’s draft — everything up until the postseason cutline — could... Once again, the Raiders need an awful lot, but they’ve kicked the QB can down the road long enough.

Outside of the Falcons and Colts, who have traded their first-round picks, 16 teams know for sure when they are picking first on April 23. From the growing obvious choice at the top based on need and talent to the teams who just missed the postseason, here's the latest look at Sporting News' projections also with the College Football... MORE: Ranking NFL playoff teams 1-14 based on Super Bowl 60 chances Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana (6-5, 225 pounds) The New York Giants and the New York Jets may share a stadium, but proximity has not led to many trades between the city rivals over the years. Sure, there was the swap of defensive tackle Leonard Williams back in 2019 and Hall of Fame head coach Bill Parcells famously took both clubs to the postseason.

But otherwise, the two clubs have largely treated each other as just another occasional out-of-conference opponent. The cold shoulder could melt this spring, however, with the Giants seemingly poised to "earn" a top-three selection and the Jets both desperate for a spark at quarterback and flush with draft picks. Their projected trade — along with a certain Heisman Trophy finalist — is where our latest mock draft begins. The Jets traded their two best players — cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams – to kick-start a roster rebuild midway through this season. Now, the club has two first-round picks in 2026 and three more in 2027, giving general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn the draft capital to do whatever they want. Sure, the club could opt to wait until 2027 to draft a quarterback — as next year’s class appears richer than this one — but with no guarantee that either will have a job...

The Jets need only look to Drake Maye and the New England Patriots atop their own AFC East division to be reminded how quickly a franchise can be turned around with a stellar young... Mendoza isn’t the no-brainer franchise quarterback that sometimes leads off a draft class, but his prototypical size, mobility, lightning-quick release and leadership make him this year’s surest thing at the game’s most important position. With the 2025 NFL regular season now officially in the books, the top of the order of the 2026 draft is locked into place. For fans of the teams that failed to book a postseason trip, the focus shifts to the future—and the offseason moves that could change their teams’ fortunes. The draft is the best way for bad teams to rebuild. The draft represents hope.

Every player that’s picked in the first round could be the catalyst of a new era of success for the team that takes him. It’s still really early in the draft process, and a handful of the biggest names in draft conversations right now could still decide to return to school for another year. But that’s not going to stop me from building my first mock draft of the season. Using the current draft order via Tankathon, let’s dig into what the first round could look like. The Geno Smith experiment has not gone as the Raiders had hoped, leaving Las Vegas with a massive need at the most important position in sports. The team addresses that hole here, taking a polished and steely signal caller in Mendoza.

The Hoosiers star and Heisman winner is an accurate rhythm passer who helped elevate the Indiana football program to new heights. The Raiders surely hope that Mendoza can do that with their franchise as well. The Jets haven’t exactly had the best luck at picking quarterbacks for, well, forever, but that doesn’t mean they should stop trying. New York grabs a talented passer here in Moore, who throws with good zip and accuracy both from the pocket and on the run. Moore has a limited number of college starts (19 between his time at Oregon and UCLA), but he’s an ascending playmaker with the tools to develop into a franchise quarterback. The Cardinals have holes all over the roster, so they can go in pretty much any direction with this pick.

3 Round 2026 Nfl Mock Draft Where Does The Fernando Mendoza Go

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