Raiders' Fernando Mendoza Top Selling Athlete Across Fanatics

Fernando Mendoza didn't only sit atop the NFL Draft Thursday night ... he was also the most popular athlete when it came to merch sales!

Mendoza, 22, was scooped up by the Silver and Black with the first overall pick, and fans didn't waste any time in buying his jersey in droves!

In fact, our Fanatics sources tell us Fernando was not only the most popular player among the rookies, nor the wider NFL ... his threads sold at a greater clip than any athlete in all American sports, period.

More than Travis Kelce. More than LeBron James, Shohei Ohtani, and Patrick Mahomes. Mendoza reigned supreme.

Thanks in large part to all the jerseys he sold, the Las Vegas Raiders were the top-selling team, beating out all the other NFL franchises.

Mendoza also got his first trading card courtesy of Topps. The iconic brand was on hand to instantly -- we're talking inside 90 seconds -- snap photos and create cards for the first round draftees.

Those cards will be available for purchase over the next 2+ days.

In Fernando's case, that meant sending a photographer to his home, where he celebrated the joyous occasion with his family and friends.

Mendoza even signed his card (so did the other players!), inscribing it ... "My 1st NFL Auto"