The Las Vegas Raiders are a few days away from having to decide whether to take Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick. Since 2023, when the Silver and Black cut ties with Derek Carr, they have lacked a franchise QB.
As a result, there’s one in Mendoza right there for the picking. Last season with the Hoosiers, Mendoza posted an overall grade of 87.9 from PFF and his 83.7 passing grade. Across 336 dropbacks, he threw for 2,758 yards with 32 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Moreover, he logged 16 big-time throws compared to nine turnover-worthy plays.
Mendoza pushed the ball downfield with a 9.4-yard average depth of target and got rid of it in about 2.63 seconds on average. He also contributed as a runner, picking up 200 scramble yards and scoring six times on the ground.
The question is whether this is enough for the Raiders to take him first overall, as many expect, and NFL insider Ian Rapoport shared the Las Vegas front office’s thought process as they ponder whether to start the Mendoza era.
“I will say that while Spytek was right, and while they are going to wait for the phone to ring, weigh offers and really see what is out there, this feels like a player to me that the Raiders are convicted over,” Rapoport said on the April 14 edition of “The Insiders.” “His visit went really well.
“They left his visit being like, ‘All right, we know that this is the guy.‘ Really like the intelligence. Really like the intangibles. I’m sure they’ll wait a long time. Hopefully they do so all of us can get on camera, but this is expected to be Fernando Mendoza in what should be a new era for the Raiders.”
Raiders QB Kirk Cousins Gets Blunt About Fernando Mendoza
Nonetheless, if the Silver and Black do select Mendoza, everyone knows he’s the future of the franchise. As a result, during an appearance on “Good Morning Football,“ Raiders QB Kirk Cousins spoke about the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and kind of let the cat out of the bag that he and Mendoza will be teammates.
“Honestly, I don’t want to start unless I’m the best option,“ Cousins said on the April 8 edition of “Good Morning Football.” “I told Klint the best players should play. As long as that’s the case, I have no qualms with however it plays out. I do think Fernando is going to be a great addition to our team.
“He’s going to have a great future in the league. I have no problem being a voice in the room to help him to the degree that I can. He’s going to have great support all around him from the coaching staff. Being able to watch a veteran quarterback go through his habits, routines, and process can be a great asset for him.”
Fernando Mendoza Doesn’t Hold Back on RPO Concern
Questions remain, though, about how smoothly he’ll transition from Indiana’s RPO-style offense to a more traditional NFL-style offense.
Still, Mendoza is tackling those concerns head-on. Even before the Raiders or any team makes a pick, he’s working on adapting to a pro-style offense and refining the skills he knows will be crucial at the next level.
During an April 7 appearance on “Football 301 with Nate Tice,” Mendoza downplayed the RPO narrative surrounding him, calling it a potential concern for the Raiders or any team that selects him.
“The RPO narrative can definitely be seen as a knock,“ Mendoza said. “However, I’ve actually had four different offensive coordinators and four different systems, from pro-style my freshman year to run-and-shoot, to pure Air Raid, and last year, a more multiple-front approach.
“I also think the RPO forces you to make split-second decisions, reading defenders and how they move, and reacting in real time.”
Fernando Mendoza Gets Major Raiders Update From Insider