Every indication is that the Raiders are intent on landing the no. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, and if they pull it off (according to ESPN, their odds are upwards of 90 percent) the popular opinion has been that Fernando Mendoza will be the next quarterback in Las Vegas.
But not everyone believes Mendoza is the quarterback Tom Brady and company will prefer.
The draft is still more than three months away, and Sports Illustrated insider Albert Breer thinks the Raiders might view Oregon’s Dante Moore as the quarterback with the better upside.
“The Raiders, with their loss Sunday, are now positioned to get the top pick in the 2026 draft. But I’m not 100% convinced it’ll be Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza,” Breer reported this week.
“I will say it wouldn’t surprise me at all if he is, and he seems like a great kid, and one you can bet on. I’m just not sure, at this early juncture, whether he’ll go ahead of Oregon’s Dante Moore (should Moore turn down whatever Phil Knight’s offering him to stay in Eugene).”
Dante Moore the next Jayden Daniels?
The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner said this week that Moore reminds him of Washington’s Jayden Daniels and said he would take Moore over Mendoza.
“Once again, the Raiders need an awful lot, but they’ve kicked the QB can down the road long enough,” Baumgardner wrote on Tuesday.
“We’re still not totally sure if Moore will declare for the draft or take another year at Oregon. The longer he plays well for the Ducks in the College Football Playoff, though, the higher his stock will climb. Moore reminds me of a younger Jayden Daniels in so many areas, his poise chief among them.”
Moore could return to Oregon in 2026, and the college playoffs might impact his decision
As everyone waits on Moore’s decision, it will be fascinating to see how his season ends at Oregon.
If Moore plays well in the college football playoffs, he will solidify himself as a top 5 pick. A rough playoff could translate to Moore choosing to stay another year in the college ranks.
“While Mendoza’s stock as a top-two QB feels secure, this postseason is shaping up to be a much bigger showcase for Moore,” The Athletic’s Jeff Howe wrote this week.
“The 20-year-old has steadily improved throughout the season and appears to have the highest potential ceiling of the trio because of his athleticism. But he has been inconsistent, and evaluators have agreed it’d be better for his long-term development to return to the Ducks for another season.”
No. 5 Oregon plays no. 4 Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Day and that will be a game the Raiders and every other QB-needy team in the NFL will be watching closely.
x: @raidersbeat
he has been inconsistent, as I view him as BOOM OR BUST – Mendoza NOT BOOM OR BUST
There’s no guarantee that any of these QB’s are gonna pan out. Raider need a QB so they must roll the dice. I like Mendoza, but would be good with Moore. There’s a ton of more positions that have to be addressed, along with firing the old man , and letting Geno go. Time to clean house, and rebuild!