Is Fernando Mendoza the favorite to go No. 1 in the 2026 NFL draft?

Yahoo Sports host Andrew Siciliano is joined by NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah to discuss the frontrunners to be selected first next April and whether teams will pay up to potential trade into the top spot of the draft. Check out the full conversation on Thursday’s episode of “Inside Coverage” – and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.

Video Transcript

Real quick on the draft, I heard you with Rich Eisen say a couple of weeks ago.

Rich said, Hey, whos the number one pick in the draft?

And you said, I have no earthly idea.

And I know that wasn’t it, I’m in the middle of Chargers season.

I havent turned my attention to the draft yet.

I understand how your process works.

You’re not fully, fully there yet.

But I also know that that was partly saying like it could be anybody.

Like, it could be Mendoza, it could be Dante Moore; it could be Arvell Reese, It could, I mean, what, 78 guys potentially.

Maybe that’s a little bit extreme.

Like, do we now, three weeks later, have any idea who that would be?

I think Mendoza is probably the clear favorite, at the Penn State game, and the plays he Made at the end of that game, that game against Ohio State, showing the toughness, Uh, as well as some of the accuracy down the field.

Um, I think he’s kind of separated himself a little bit at that position, and You know how it is.

Usually, thats what well get.

You’re gonna get a quarterback up there, whether it’s a team that has the number one Pick of a team that’s gonna, you know, auction off that number-one overall pick.

So I’d say he’s the favorite.

I think the gap right now, though, with Mendoza, I think he has separated himself from Dante Moore a little bit.

What’s fascinating is, let’s say, the Saints get up there.

Is Tyler out of the quarterback market now?

The way Chuck’s been playing suggests it might be.

Right?

You’d, you’d have to think there’s no way the Titans go back in and get another QB.

They have Cam Ward now.

You’ve seen it happen.

I mean, there are a couple throws each week.

Where you’re like, wow, OK, yeah, he’s the guy.

Youve got to build pieces around him, Um, you know, who, who gets up there and are the teams that do need a quarterback.

Let’s say the Raiders aren’t number one, right?

Um.

Are they willing to give up assets for Mendoza?

Or whichever quarterback?

Dante Moore, whoever decides to come out, or do you play the board?

You always fear that somebody might jump you.

What does it cost to get up this year?

I know we’re really, really early, but the idea that you could have teams in the top three that Don’t need a quarterback is very real.

Yeah, no, that’s it.

You know, every year we say this, and each year we go, There’s not, this quarterback’s not worth parting with all the picks you’d have to part Want to get up there, and there’d have to be a steep discount.

And then what you do is, you did end up not taking into account an organization.

Front office and coaching staff that had to watch terrible quarterback play.

For an entire season, its damn the torpedoes.

I don’t care about the price.

I literally cannot watch this level.

Incompetence at the quarterback position again.

So, we’ll deal with next year’s picks next year.

Let’s fix this.

I can’t watch this anymore.

Weve got to do it, we need someone different.

Whatever it costs, We’ll pay it.

Is Fernando Mendoza the favorite to go No. 1 in the 2026 NFL draft?

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