Raiders GM Spytek Drops Hints About No. 1 Draft Pick

Spytek and assistant GM Stark leave breadcrumbs about the team's plans for the top selection.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 5:54am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting fragmented football players and NFL team logos, conveying the complex and uncertain nature of the Raiders' quarterback situation heading into the draft.The Raiders' front office drops cryptic clues about their plans for the No. 1 overall pick, leaving fans to decipher the team's quarterback strategy.Las Vegas Today

Raiders general manager John Spytek and assistant GM Brian Stark have been dropping hints about the team's plans for the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. While they haven't outright named the player they're targeting, the clues suggest the pick could be a quarterback, potentially one that rhymes with "Mernando Fendoza."

Why it matters

The Raiders have only used a first-round pick on a quarterback three times since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, so taking a signal-caller with the top selection would be a significant move. It could also have implications for the team's current QB situation, with veteran Kirk Cousins and second-year player Aidan O'Connell already on the roster.

The details

Spytek and Stark have left several breadcrumbs for Raiders fans to follow this offseason. They've hinted at adding a veteran quarterback, which turned out to be Cousins, and have now suggested the team could use the No. 1 pick on a QB. Spytek said 'the best guy will play,' indicating the rookie could start right away, though the team would prefer the player sit and learn behind Cousins initially.

  • On Tuesday, Spytek and Stark held a pre-draft press conference at Raiders HQ.
  • At the Annual League Meeting in March, Spytek intimated the team could add a veteran QB before free agency ended.

The players

John Spytek

The Raiders' general manager, who has been dropping hints about the team's plans for the No. 1 overall pick.

Brian Stark

The Raiders' assistant general manager, who has been working alongside Spytek in hinting at the team's draft strategy.

Klint Kubiak

The Raiders' new head coach, who discussed the benefits of a rookie QB sitting behind a veteran.

Kirk Cousins

The veteran quarterback the Raiders signed in free agency, who could mentor a rookie QB taken with the No. 1 pick.

Aidan O'Connell

The second-year QB currently on the Raiders' roster, who could also be in the mix to compete for the starting job.

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What they’re saying

“Ultimately, this is a meritocracy, and the best guy will play. It's just really hard to play really well at a young age. But we've seen plenty of quarterbacks do it recently, and how that goes going forward here”

— John Spytek, Raiders General Manager

“Ideally you don't want [a rookie QB] to start from Day 1. You'd love him to be able to learn behind somebody. That's in a perfect world. It does help the player, though, if they can sit behind a mature adult and watch how they run the show.”

— Klint Kubiak, Raiders Head Coach

What’s next

The Raiders will make their selection with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on April 27th.

The takeaway

The Raiders appear to be strongly considering taking a quarterback with the top pick, which would be a significant move for a franchise that has rarely used first-rounders on signal-callers. How the team handles the QB situation, with Cousins, O'Connell, and a potential rookie, will be a key storyline to follow this offseason.