Perhaps next year, Cooper Manning will be getting ready to watch his son, Arch, be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. For now, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has all of the spotlight.
After beating Miami in the National Championship, many expect the Las Vegas Raiders to select Mendoza with the No. 1 pick. Draft pundits and analysts are apprehensive to put the Heisman Trophy winner in the same class of generational quarterback prospects like Andrew Luck, Caleb Williams or John Elway, but that doesn’t mean the Raiders aren’t planning to take him.
The Raiders have had a really rough last two decades. The only franchise with a longer playoff win drought is the Miami Dolphins. The organization has been dysfunctional for a long time, and nothing will derail a young quarterback’s career more than going to a bad team.
Mendoza can always try to go back to school or pull an Eli Manning and refuse to play for the Raiders, but Cooper Manning doesn’t see that happening. He believes Mendoza will be eager for the challenge.
“I think it’s very important. You can look around the NFL; there are 32 teams. There’s several organizations there that you’re really in awe of. And there’s some that you questioned, and I admire Dante (Moore) for coming back,” Manning told Heavy Sports. “I think Fernando’s ready. I mean, he’s done his time in college. I think he’s out of eligibility. So he’s going anyway, but you know, usually those teams that are drafting you early are struggling, and you’ve got to go in and be the face of that. I mean, Peyton was drafted No. 1 by the Colts.
“They deserved it. They were not very good. That first year, he went 3-13, and the next year, 13-3. So I think being a part of a turnaround is exciting. I think that was kind of why Arch chose Texas at the time. That was kind of a turnaround program, a new coach and when he committed there, they had gone 5-7. I think he wanted to be part of something to kind of get them right and rolling and be in the conversation. So look, if you’re a leader and you’re a good quarterback, that’s the challenge. You’re not going to, you’re not going to walk into, if you’re a top player, you’re not going to walk into a situation that’s ideal. You’re going to have to go through some growing pains, and the NFL is no different.”
Why Mendoza Could Find Raiders Appealing
As Manning pointed out, the No. 1 pick is almost always going to have to go to a bad franchise. However, he could do worse than the Raiders.
Mendoza has spoken openly about how Tom Brady is his football idol. He’s now going to have a chance to play for a franchise that Brady has a minority ownership stake in.
While the Raiders’ offensive line is concerning, they do have some good pieces. Tight Brock Bowers is a superstar, running back Ashton Jeanty showed some flashes as a rookie and left tackle Kolton Miller is very good when healthy.
Can Mendoza Help Jump Start Raiders’ Turnaround?
While Peyton Manning’s first season with the Indianapolis Colts was rocky, it only took him a year to turn the franchise around. He led the team to 10 or more wins in 12 of the next 13 seasons.
It remains to be seen if Mendoza can have that kind of impact for the Raiders, but it’s clearly not impossible. Indiana was considered one of the worst college football programs in the country two years ago, and they just won the National Championship after going 16-0.
Cooper Manning Weighs in on Fernando Mendoza Pulling an Eli Manning on Raiders