Raiders pin their hopes on Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Whether it's cycling through coaches or quarterbacks — or both — the Raiders have been searching for stability in their efforts to return to their championship days.

Las Vegas hopes Thursday night was a major step in the right direction.

In taking Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza with the first-overall selection in the NFL draft, the Raiders might have finally found their franchise quarterback.

The Raiders will count on Mendoza to help turn around an organization that owns three Lombardi Trophies but hasn't won a playoff game since appearing in the Super Bowl in the 2002 season. But the Raiders have made it clear they won't rush Mendoza, and in fact signed veteran Kirk Cousins, who likely will be the starting quarterback entering the season.

There will be enough pressure on Mendoza and the Raiders to validate using the top pick on a player who wasn't prominently on most teams' radar a year ago, even though Las Vegas' selection has been telegraphed for several months.

“There’s been a lot of anticipation whether I was going to end up here,” Mendoza said. "Nothing was ever for certain, except for tonight. So when I saw that call, I got a whole lot of chills on my entire body and I was ecstatic. There’s a lot of emotion even right now. However, I understand this is not the end of the journey, although this is a celebration, this is a start of a new thing.”

Mendoza, who stunningly led Indiana to its first national championship, did not attend the draft in Pittsburgh, opting to watch with family and friends in the Miami area. His mother, Elsa, has multiple sclerosis, which makes traveling difficult, and the family will fly to Las Vegas on Friday when Mendoza will be formally introduced during a news conference.

“I chose the Raiders over Pittsburgh because I wanted my mom to be there,” Mendoza said. “It’d be hard for her to take two trips like that, really back-to-back.”

This will be Mendoza's second trip to Las Vegas this month. He took an official visit to the Raiders' facility on April 7, giving general manager John Spytek a chance to get to know the person.

“It’s about his team,” Spytek said. “It’s about winning. It's about doing the right thing, being accountable to the whole organization. It’s very little to do with all the accolades he got after they won all those games. He’s really smart. He works really hard. This means a lot to him.

"I don’t think that being the first-overall pick and winning the Heisman and all the things that he’s got will change him. I think that it’ll actually make him work harder to prove that he’s worth all that and then earn even more.”

He is the fourth player in the common draft era that began in 1967 to win the Heisman and national championship and go No. 1 in the following draft. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in 2020 was the most recent one.

Mendoza also is the fifth Heisman winner to be drafted by the Raiders. Cornerback Charles Woodson in 1998 was the most recent.

“Welcome to Las Vegas @fernandomendoza,” Raiders minority owner Tom Brady posted on social media. “Time to get to work.”

The Raiders' last No. 1 overall pick is remembered as one of the major busts in NFL draft history. LSU's JaMarcus Russell went first overall in 2007, lasting just three seasons while going 7-18.

Was Mendoza, a capable quarterback during his two years as the starter at Cal, a one-year wonder at Indiana and beneficiary of a QB-friendly system? Or did coach Curt Cignetti unlock something in Mendoza that will translate to the NFL? The truth also could be somewhere in the middle.

“I believe I’m still the underdog,” Mendoza said. "Once I got drafted, I’m now part of the NFL, and I can tell you right now I am not one out of 32 (starting) quarterbacks at this moment. So I need to work every single day possible because I’m on the bottom of the totem pole.”

The Raiders have something new — hope. Klint Kubiak is the fifth full-time head coach since the club moved to Las Vegas in 2020, and it's been a similar revolving door with quarterbacks.

But the Raiders also hadn't built up the rest of the roster to give whichever quarterback was taking snaps a fair chance to succeed.

That appears to be changing.

Spytek took advantage of having enough salary-cap space by committing nearly $300 million to eight players, including three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum and wide receiver Jalen Nailor.

The Raiders also bring back tight end Brock Bowers, running back Ashton Jeanty and left tackle Kolton Miller to give Cousins and Mendoza help.

But Mendoza has to do his part, too. The Raiders entered the opening night of the draft on the clock. Now it's the quarterback who quickly faces a ticking clock.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

FILE - Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza holds the trophy after Indiana defeated Miami in a College Football Playoff national championship game in Miami Gardens, Fla., Jan. 19, 2026, (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is shown on a screen after being chosen by the Las Vegas Raiders with the first overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is shown on a screen after being chosen by the Las Vegas Raiders with the first overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Las Vegas Raiders fans celebrate after Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza was chosen by the Las Vegas Raiders with the first overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — David Bailey loves making quarterbacks miserable. Kenyon Sadiq thrives on catching passes and doling out bone-rattling blocks. Omar Cooper Jr. enjoys having the ball in his hands to make a play, wherever that might be on the field.

The New York Jets can't wait for their three first-round picks in the NFL draft Thursday night to make a big impact as pros. And perhaps help end the NFL's longest active playoff drought at 15 seasons.

“Any time you bring guys with a winning background on your team, that only helps the morale of your team,” said coach Aaron Glenn, who went 3-14 in his first season. “To get three first-round picks and the caliber of guys that we got — the personality, the mentality, the football character — all those things are huge bringing those guys on the team.”

Bailey, an explosive edge rusher from Texas Tech, was selected with the No. 2 overall pick. Sadiq, a versatile tight end from Oregon, was taken at No. 16. The Jets then traded back into the first round, sending picks No. 33 and 179 to San Francisco for No. 30 overall and taking Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr., who made big plays with No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza for the national champions.

The picks kicked off a busy early stretch for New York, which also has the 44th overall pick in the second round Friday night.

“I feel like this organization is trending in the right way,” Bailey said. “I’m just ready to work.”

After getting 14 1/2 sacks for the Red Raiders, Bailey gives the Jets a big-time pass-rushing presence for a defense that was among the NFL’s worst last season. He's the highest-selected defensive player by the Jets in the NFL draft since the 1970 merger.

“That feeling when you get a sack," Bailey said, "and the crowd is on your side, especially during a home game — but regardless, home or away — it’s one of the best feelings.”

With Las Vegas long linked to Mendoza at No. 1 overall, the most suspense centered on what New York would do one pick later. In the last few weeks, Bailey and Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese were most often linked to the Jets — and it was just a matter of which one they’d select, if they didn’t trade the pick.

General manager Darren Mougey stayed at No. 2 and took Bailey, who’ll be expected to help boost a pass rush that ranked 31st in the NFL with only 26 sacks. The crosstown-rival Giants drafted Reese with the fifth overall pick.

“We just felt like Bailey fit us better,” Glenn said.

Bailey was a force last season for Texas Tech, tying for the FBS lead in sacks. He also ranked second with 19 1/2 tackles for loss. After three seasons at Stanford, the 22-year-old Bailey transferred to Texas Tech and was an AP All-America pick, the Big 12 defensive lineman of the year, the conference’s newcomer of the year and a finalist for the Lombardi Award as the country’s top lineman.

The Jets canceled their top-30 visit with Bailey last week, leading some to speculate that the team had waning interest. But Mougey downplayed that Tuesday at New York’s pre-draft news conference — and clearly that wasn’t the case.

Bailey will get his visit to the Jets’ facility, after all. As New York’s top draft pick.

“I had a great interaction with them at the combine,” Bailey said. “Obviously, they canceled the 30 visit, but other than that, man, I had a great FaceTime with Mougey and everybody.”

It’s the fourth time in franchise history that the Jets picked second overall and first since they took quarterback Zach Wilson in 2021. Running back Blair Thomas (1990) and wide receiver Johnny “Lam” Jones (1980) were the others.

New York addressed its offense 14 picks later, giving new quarterback Geno Smith a pass-catching tight end in Sadiq. It was largely assumed the Jets would go after a wide receiver in that spot — Cooper and USC's Makai Lemon were still available. Instead, they went with Sadiq, who set a school record last season for tight ends with 51 receptions.

Sadiq is considered a versatile tight end with terrific athleticism who should help new coordinator Frank Reich's offense in both the passing and running games.

“I can create separation, but I can also go hit someone," Sadiq said. "Obviously the NFL is different and I have to clean some things up. But man ... I’m not going to be scared to go hit somebody.”

The 6-foot-3, 241-pound Sadiq joins Jeremy Ruckert and Mason Taylor — the team's second-round pick last year — in the Jets' tight ends room.

Sadiq opened eyes at the NFL combine, running a 4.39 40-yard dash — a blazing speed for a tight end his size. He led FBS tight ends with eight touchdown catches last season, his first as a full-time starter for the Ducks.

“I play fast and I play hard," he said, "and that's two things I pride myself on.”

Cooper caught 69 passes from Mendoza for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. With the Jets, he'll help complement veterans Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell as a potential slot receiver who can also stretch the field.

“I'm just somebody that can run any route when given the opportunity,” Cooper said.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

FILE - Ohio State's Lorenzo Styles Jr. breaks up a pass intended for Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. during the first half of the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game in Indianapolis, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)

FILE - Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq (18) talks to the press at the school's NFL Pro Day, Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman,File)

Texas Tech linebacker David Bailey poses on the red carpet before the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Texas Tech linebacker David Bailey poses on the red carpet before the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Texas Tech linebacker David Bailey poses with fans after being chosen by the New York Jets with the second overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Texas Tech linebacker David Bailey, right, poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being chosen by the New York Jets with the second overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Texas Tech linebacker David Bailey celebrates after being chosen by the New York Jets with the second overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)