Raiders Secure No. 1 Pick After Giants’ Win

The Las Vegas Raiders have shown they can be timely when it counts. A loss would have handed them the No. 1 overall draft pick next April, but fortunately for them, they didn’t have to wait for their game to conclude to learn their standings.

Before last week’s showdown, the New York Giants were holding on to an opportunity for that coveted top pick. They needed a win against the Dallas Cowboys, combined with a loss from the Raiders, to regain control of the first pick. Instead, the Giants triumphed over the Cowboys with a score of 34-17, inadvertently sealing the fate of the pick for Las Vegas.

Speculation is mounting that Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza will be chosen by the Raiders. Las Vegas made a move this offseason to bring in veteran quarterback Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks, but things haven’t gone quite as planned for Smith this season. Heading into the Sunday game, he had accumulated 3,025 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions across 15 games. Not exactly the numbers you’d hope for, right?

At 35 years old, Smith still has two years left on his contract, but it’s hard to ignore the potential of a Heisman Trophy winner, especially one who could cap off an impressive college season with a national championship. The Raiders, sitting at a dismal 2-14 record, will close out their regular season against the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s noteworthy that their last No. 1 pick was in 2007 when they selected JaMarcus Russell, who, unfortunately, became infamous for being one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history, appearing in just 31 games.

Perhaps Mendoza could prove to be a different story. The Giants, on the other hand, might find themselves with the seventh pick if they end the season with a 4-13 record, all depending on how the final game unfolds.