Raiderstation

Call your shot....or add your own.

Dante Moore:

https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Dante-Moore-QB-UCLA

Fernando Mendoza:

https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Fer ... California

May the football godz look kindly down upon the feeble and inept.

The best QB in '26 is Trinidad Chambliss. If he declares, trade that #1 for a slew of PREMIUM picks, take Chambliss, and build the trenches.

I like Mendoza, he's got a high football IQ, makes good decisions, a strong will to win and he's an all around good guy. Reviewing the tape though, he just looks slow and awkward next to TC. Chambliss will be a star. Book it.

Flame away.

I recall the Jamarcus Russell draft. I recall people saying he'd had the best pro day they'd ever seen. He had the elite measureables. I recall not wanting him at all because of all the negatives I'd heard about his intangibles. I hoped I was wrong. This time I hope I'm not wrong because I believe in this kid. Will he be great? Odds are against that for any prospect including Mendoza, but IMO his measureables aren't going to stop him from getting there. Next step is hiring the right coach.

Amish Cabal wrote: Tue Jan 20, 2026 1:03 pm The best QB in '26 is Trinidad Chambliss. If he declares, trade that #1 for a slew of PREMIUM picks, take Chambliss, and build the trenches.

I like Mendoza, he's got a high football IQ, makes good decisions, a strong will to win and he's an all around good guy. Reviewing the tape though, he just looks slow and awkward next to TC. Chambliss will be a star. Book it.

Flame away.

While I disagree with your Mendoza assessment, I do like Chambliss's potential. The thing is almost every one of these picks are a gamble and there is a long history of one hit wonders faceplanting in the pro's. The talent is there with him, but he's old with a spotty resume.

Take him at #1 and be done with it.

Chambliss is like 5’ nothing. Rarely do splash play guys make it in the pros. To survive as a pro qb and do great things you generally have to be able to win from the pocket. Yes mobility and escapability helps but it should be an extension not the main feature

Raidernation1979 wrote: Tue Jan 20, 2026 12:32 pm His accuracy, ability to read coverage, toughness, heart, character. These are all special. Elite. Haven’t seen in a prospect since Luck. His arm is above average and can make every throw on the field. He’s mobile enough to make plays with his legs.

I think you’re totally discounting the mental aspect of quarterbacking and not realizing how elite he is there.

Just general thoughts here.

I think people gloss over it and think because someone can fill out the physical requirements the rest falls into place. If that were the case someone like Anthony Richardson should have been the best prospect ever. Too many fans fall in love with athletes who happen to play QB without questioning whether or not they can actually play QB.

Someone can have all the elite physical skills in the world and it won’t matter if they can’t process it correctly or fast enough/both. Not that he has elite skills, but look at AOC12. He can make every throw, has the size, but his one limiting factor? He sees the right play and place to go with the ball nearly every time, but he doesn’t process it fast enough. Or at best very, very inconsistently.

So like you? I’ll take elite mental skills any day of the week and worry about the rest later.

Raidernation1979 wrote: Tue Jan 20, 2026 1:12 pm Chambliss is like 5’ nothing. Rarely do splash play guys make it in the pros. To survive as a pro qb and do great things you generally have to be able to win from the pocket. Yes mobility and escapability helps but it should be an extension not the main feature

Chambliss is 6 foot even based on everything I can see not standing next to the man. He has a high motor and runs very fluidly. He has a good to above average arm but his accuracy could be better on his throws over the middle. He is intriguing if you are looking for a QB2 you can bring in on certain plays. If we had an established QB in house, I might bring him in for that reason. I see him as a mid day 2 pick for the right team. We do not have the luxury of using that high a pick for a part time player, most the time backup.

Raidernation1979 wrote: Tue Jan 20, 2026 12:32 pm His accuracy, ability to read coverage, toughness, heart, character. These are all special. Elite. Haven’t seen in a prospect since Luck. His arm is above average and can make every throw on the field. He’s mobile enough to make plays with his legs.

I think you’re totally discounting the mental aspect of quarterbacking and not realizing how elite he is there.

Not to take away from him but we don’t know if he can read NFL coverages yet. We just know he runs an RPO run heavy offense. RPO is just a one read play. I will give him this: he makes his decisions quickly.

Nobody knows dick about these QB's. Its all a total crap shoot. That being said, I am glad we are finally going to try. I would rather swing and miss than not try at all. Getting a franchise QB on a rookie deal is the best way to build a franchise and take it from the depths of shit in the sewer. Mendoza is our guy. Lets get on the train. Would we want QB's from other years. Maybe so, but we have no choice.

chucker wrote: Tue Jan 20, 2026 12:19 pm How many QBs drafted since Joe Burrow have had a better arm and better wheels than Joe Burrow? How many QBs drafted since Joe Burrow have been better NFL QBs than Joe Burrow?

Caleb Williams maybe Jayden to the first, none yet to the second.

chucker wrote: Tue Jan 20, 2026 1:06 pm I recall the Jamarcus Russell draft. I recall people saying he'd had the best pro day they'd ever seen. He had the elite measureables. I recall not wanting him at all because of all the negatives I'd heard about his intangibles. I hoped I was wrong. This time I hope I'm not wrong because I believe in this kid. Will he be great? Odds are against that for any prospect including Mendoza, but IMO his measureables aren't going to stop him from getting there. Next step is hiring the right coach.

I swear the media did and does what they can to use their power of persuasion.

In this case try to sell Al Davis on "The Arm!" and it worked.

Now it's the Raiders should get more pics to fill holes, no you always take the franchise QB if you don't have one, not amount of words changes this, even if it ends up bombing.

The only alternative I would consider to Mendoza would be Borrow/Lamar and that would be one long time on the pot trying to figure if that is the best move. It is the move if you question Mendoza, thinking there really isn't a Franchise QB in the draft. What does Brady think?

NoClapsPlease wrote: Tue Jan 20, 2026 1:22 pm Not to take away from him but we don’t know if he can read NFL coverages yet. We just know he runs an RPO run heavy offense. RPO is just a one read play. I will give him this: he makes his decisions quickly.

They run a spread offense with some RPO components. While Mendoza can run and does run it is not his best game so the spread keeps the defenses gapping a lot so they can run. If anything, they don't want Mendoza to run much. As for reading coverages, he reads college coverages because that is what he has been exposed to. Saying he can or cannot read a coverage he has not been exposed to is really not a valid argument. We can only evaluate what we can see and what we saw this last season is a guy who took a serious set forward in his development. I keep going back to it but the last drive vs Penn St is textbook on how to read a defense.

Attyla wrote: Tue Jan 20, 2026 1:21 pm Chambliss is 6 foot even based on everything I can see not standing next to the man. He has a high motor and runs very fluidly. He has a good to above average arm but his accuracy could be better on his throws over the middle. He is intriguing if you are looking for a QB2 you can bring in on certain plays. If we had an established QB in house, I might bring him in for that reason. I see him as a mid day 2 pick for the right team. We do not have the luxury of using that high a pick for a part time player, most the time backup.

Yeah he’s listed at 6’0” or 6’1” everywhere. I’d be surprised if that was true. He looks more 5’10” to me. He looks tiny on the field. He’s fun to watch but I don’t see a franchise guy.

SkullCrusher wrote: Tue Jan 20, 2026 1:26 pm Caleb Williams maybe Jayden to the first, none yet to the second.

The answer to the first question is a lot more than just Caleb and maybe Jayden. I suspect that there are several drafted almost every year with both a stronger arm and better wheels than Joe Burrow.

I do agree that nobody drafted since Joe Burrow has been a better NFL QB.

It's what's between the ears, and how the player uses that in a game that matters most.

Raidernation1979 wrote: Tue Jan 20, 2026 1:12 pm Chambliss is like 5’ nothing. Rarely do splash play guys make it in the pros. To survive as a pro qb and do great things you generally have to be able to win from the pocket. Yes mobility and escapability helps but it should be an extension not the main feature

He's got a mid-tier line vs SEC opponents. Doesn't get the chance to stay in the pocket a lot. He'd get the same situation in Vegas. But even with 4.45 speed he still buys time, keeps his eyes downfield and looks for receivers. He's not the run first type from what I've seen. He's accurate at every level, even on the run. Fast release, good arm. ...And he's 6'1".

He could use another year in college for the experience, but sit him a bit and he'd deliver. He's a pro to my eye and more than just "splash plays", but that's my opinion.