No sign of Tom Brady in the Las Vegas Raiders’ draft room, but he surfaced on social media.
With a post on X, Brady offered advice to the incoming rookies and acknowledged quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas’ No. 1 pick and the first pick of the 2026 NFL Draft.
“Welcome to Las Vegas @fernandomendoza. Time to get to work. @Raiders"
NFL draft picks tracker: Analysis for every 2026 first-round selection
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft brings franchise‑defining moments as teams make their selections from the top of the board.See how picks 1 through 32 came off the clock as the next generation of NFL talent enters the league.Above, A detailed view of the stage showing a still of Fernando Mendoza of the Indiana on screen after being selected first overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders during Round One of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium on April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
1 / 5See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft brings franchise‑defining moments as teams make their selections from the top of the board.See how picks 1 through 32 came off the clock as the next generation of NFL talent enters the league.Above, A detailed view of the stage showing a still of Fernando Mendoza of the Indiana on screen after being selected first overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders during Round One of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium on April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft brings franchise‑defining moments as teams make their selections from the top of the board.See how picks 1 through 32 came off the clock as the next generation of NFL talent enters the league.Above, A detailed view of the stage showing a still of Fernando Mendoza of the Indiana on screen after being selected first overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders during Round One of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium on April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Brady, a minority owner of the Raiders, had a similar message for the other soon-to-be NFL rookies.
“Congratulations to all the rookies who are joining the NFL this weekend," he wrote. “I hope you can appreciate this special moment… you’ve earned it through hard work, discipline, and determination. You’ve made your family proud, along with everyone else on your journey that has supported you. But this is just the beginning. When you wake up tomorrow morning, just know that your career will be defined by what happens going forward. You’ll need to take everything you do to the next level in order to compete with the world’s best."
The Raiders will be lucky if their No. 1 pick is anywhere near as good as the New England Patriots’ sixth-round pick (No. 199) overall in the 2000 draft. Of course that was Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl winner.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tom Brady welcomes Fernando Mendoza to Raiders after NFL Draft No. 1 pick