New Delhi, July 24 -- LAS VEGAS - Fernando Mendoza walked into the Raiders facility Thursday as the most expensive rookie in franchise history, signing a four-year, $57.27 million fully guaranteed contract and reporting to training camp on the same day, a convergence of paperwork and expectation that made official what the 2026 NFL Draft had promised three months earlier.

The contract, structured with a fifth-year option that extends Las Vegas's team control through the 2030 season, positions Mendoza as the centerpiece of a franchise rebuilding around its first No. 1 overall pick in over a decade. The fully guaranteed value locks in every dollar with no performance contingencies, reflecting both the leverage that accompanies the top sele...