Raiders getting calls on No.1

The Las Vegas Raiders are taking calls on the first pick in the 2026 National Football League draft, but the team still looks set to stay put. (nfl.com) General manager John Spytek said Tuesday, “We’ve gotten a few calls and those teams know where they stand right now,” after a pre-draft news conference in Henderson, Nevada. The draft opens April 23 in Pittsburgh. (reviewjournal.com) League coverage still points to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza as the expected choice at No. 1 overall. National Football League Media said that pick would make Mendoza the fourth straight quarterback taken first overall. (nfl.com) The calls matter because the Raiders finished 3-14 in 2025 and control the one slot that guarantees access to any player on the board. Spytek said that is the one position in the draft where a team can get “the exact person that they want.” (reviewjournal.com) That player has been Mendoza for months. The Associated Press draft guide published April 16 listed the Heisman Trophy winner as the likely first pick, and the Raiders have been tied to him across pre-draft coverage. (apnews.com) Mendoza’s 2025 numbers explain why teams value the top spot. ESPN lists him at 3,535 passing yards, 41 touchdown passes, six interceptions and a 90.3 Total Quarterback Rating for Indiana. (espn.com) The trade chatter also reflects timing. The 2026 draft runs April 23 through April 25 in Pittsburgh, so teams that want a quarterback have less than a week to decide whether moving up to No. 1 is worth the cost. (nfl.com) Spytek has not ruled out a deal, but his public comments have sounded more like leverage than invitation. With one week left before the Raiders go on the clock, the league is still treating Mendoza to Las Vegas as the default outcome. (nfl.com)