Las Vegas Raiders

The inevitable move sure seems to be selecting Heisman winner/National Champion Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza to turn around what was objectively the single-worst team in football last season.

Unfortunately for Mendoza and the Raiders: There are several other needs that badly need to be addressed ahead of the 2026 season. We are talking about a team with the second-worst point differential in the NFL during the last two seasons after all. But hey, at least they have the third-most effective cap space in the league to work with.

Cornerback: The front office has only used one top-50 pick on the secondary in the last five drafts combined. Correcting that while also making moves on the open market in March will at least add some much-needed talent into this largely barren group. 

Wide Receiver: This is a situation where there are enough ample available resources to perhaps win a bidding war in free agency. Colts WR Alec Pierce and Seahawks WR Rashid Shaheed represent the probable top-two options available, and each possesses the sort of field-stretching ability to really help open things up underneath for Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty.

Quarterback: Draft Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick. While we know better to assume the best with any rookie QB, the 22-year-old Heisman winner possesses the sort of accuracy and quick-processing to warrant the common Jared Goff/Kirk Cousins comps.