Report claims the Raiders may have “traded” Fernando Mendoza for Dante Moore

The Las Vegas Raiders ultimately made Fernando Mendoza the centerpiece of their quarterback plans, selecting the Indiana star with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

But a new report suggests the decision may not have been as straightforward as it appeared, with Oregon quarterback Dante Moore reportedly attracting serious attention from the franchise.

According to draft insider Todd McShay , the Raiders had not completely settled on Mendoza during the evaluation process.

Their internal debate reportedly involved choosing between a quarterback who appeared more prepared to contribute immediately and another prospect whose long-term potential was considered even greater.

“From my intel, they hadn’t made a decision,” he said on the Brandon Walker College Football Show. “It was going to be a very difficult one because Mendoza was more ready. Now, Dante Moore ’s ceiling was higher.”

The intriguing part of the story is that Moore never actually entered the 2026 draft. The Oregon quarterback announced in January that he would return to the Ducks for another season, removing one of the most highly regarded quarterbacks from the draft pool.

That decision helped clear the path for Mendoza , who had emerged as the overwhelming favorite to go first overall.

Las Vegas eventually made the Indiana quarterback its choice, and the Raiders officially signed him to a four-year rookie contract worth a reported $57.27 million fully guaranteed.

Why the Raiders were reportedly tempted by Moore's upside

The contrast between the two quarterbacks helps explain why the reported debate was so significant.

Mendoza entered the draft with an extraordinary résumé. He finished his final college season with 3,535 passing yards, 41 touchdowns and only six interceptions while completing 72% of his attempts.

He led Indiana to an undefeated national championship season and became the first Heisman Trophy winner in school history.

Moore's 2025 campaign was also impressive. He completed 71.8% of his passes for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions as Oregon reached the College Football Playoff semifinals.

However, Moore had significantly less experience as a full-time starter, making his evaluation more dependent on projecting what he could become.

That appears to have been the attraction for Las Vegas. Mendoza represented the safer proposition, while Moore offered the possibility of becoming an even more dynamic quarterback several years down the road.

McShay went further when discussing what Moore could accomplish with another season at Oregon.

“Oregon is loaded talent-wise,” he added. “And I actually think a certain way that they’re even more loaded this year… So this is going to be a huge year for Dante. I’m telling you right now, man, Dante goes in as the number one guy. Dante might have been, had he elected to come out, the number one quarterback taken ahead of Fernando Mendoza.”

Moore's decision to remain in Eugene was therefore potentially significant for the Raiders ' draft plans. Had he entered the draft, Las Vegas may have faced a genuine decision between the two quarterbacks rather than simply taking Mendoza with the first selection.

For Moore , however, returning to Oregon offered another opportunity to chase a national championship. He explained that he wanted to continue developing and believed staying in college was the right move for him.

“There’s some unfinished goals,” Dan Lanning summed up the mood after his QB’s decision. “There’s some unfinished business. We’re a team that got so close the last two years.”

Mendoza now has the job of proving the Raiders chose correctly

There is no longer any mystery about which quarterback Las Vegas selected. Mendoza is officially a Raider , and the organization has invested heavily in his future.

The early stages of that transition have nevertheless provided some challenges. Mendoza has impressed at times during preseason, but he also threw an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown against Houston, finishing that outing 8-of-15 for 86 yards.

The Raiders still defeated the Texans 22-20, but the performance demonstrated that the transition from college football's top level to the NFL will require patience.

The Raiders have also indicated that veteran Kirk Cousins remains part of the quarterback competition, meaning Mendoza is not automatically guaranteed to start Week 1.

That makes the McShay report particularly interesting in hindsight. Las Vegas may have preferred Mendoza because he was more prepared for the NFL, while believing Moore possessed greater developmental upside.

If Moore eventually becomes a top NFL quarterback after his additional season at Oregon, the Raiders' reported interest will look even more significant.

For now, though, Las Vegas has made its choice, and Mendoza has the opportunity to prove that the team did not settle for the safer option, but selected the quarterback who can ultimately lead the franchise back to contention.