Move over, Sam Bradford. The infamous rookie contract the then-St. Louis Rams awarded the former University of Oklahoma quarterback in 2010—the breaking point that led to the implementation of the NFL’s rigid rookie wage scale the following year—is finally being eclipsed.

If Indiana University quarterback Fernando Mendoza is selected by the Las Vegas Raiders with the first overall pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night—as is widely expected—he is projected to sign a fully guaranteed four-year, $54.6 million contract, including a $36.1 million signing bonus, according to contract database Spotrac. That total would exceed the $50 million in guaranteed money that Bradford received in 2010, part of a six-year deal that was worth up to $86 million.

Since the 2011 ratification of the league’s collective bargaining agreement with its players’ union, every NFL draft pick has had a fixed slot value predetermined by a formula tied to the salary cap, which will rise to a record $301.2 million per team for the 2026 season, from $279.2 million in 2025. Every incoming rookie drafted in Thursday’s first round will receive a fully guaranteed........

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