On April 23, the Las Vegas Raiders selected Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick and now have the franchise QB to build around. Once the Silver and Black clinched the No. 1 pick following the 2025 season, it was clear that Mendoza was going to be the selection.
Nonetheless, despite many expecting Mendoza to be the pick, the Raiders did their homework on the player. After the announcement, Raiders general manager John Spytek spoke with team columnist Paul Gutierrez about why it made sense to pick Mendoza.
“We had a great process, and we promised ourselves, the ownership group, and the fans that we would do this the right way,” Spytek said on April 23 after the Raiders made the pick. “And we did not begin with the end in mind. This was not a coronation, but every step of the way, he kept checking boxes. I saw him three times in person — once in the fall and at the playoff games — and he played really well in all those games.
“We had a chance to visit with him at the combine, went to Bloomington to see his pro day, spent time with him, went to dinner with him, and then brought him here to Las Vegas and had a great day with him here, too. He just kept checking boxes along the way, and, you know, he made it pretty easy for us to realize that this is the right guy at the right time for the Raiders.”
Tom Brady Ready to Help Fernando Mendoza
Before the Raiders officially made Mendoza the No. 1 pick, there was hints that this was the direction that Las Vegas was going. The new Raiders QB shared the message that the team’s minority owner, Tom Brady, shared as he looks to play a role in the quarterback’s development.
“[Brady] gave me the message that he’s going to push me and he’s not going to be all lovey-dovey, push me if the Raiders draft me, he is going to be a mentor and wants to pour into whatever quarterback the Raiders have, whether it’s me, whether they draft somebody else,” Mendoza said during an April 22 appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show.”
Raiders Get Blunt Message About Fernando Mendoza
If the Raiders needed any more convincing that Mendoza is the right guy to be the face of their franchise during this process, former Indiana Hoosiers running back Kaelon Black spoke about the quarterback and explained why he’s a special player.
“Man, well, the Raiders are getting the most talented quarterback that’s out there,” Black said during an April 17 appearance on “The Insiders.“ “Fernando is very detailed, one of my favorite teammates I’ve ever been around.
“He’s just so humble and so hungry that he always wants better. You can ask anyone on our team, there’s no one more detailed than him. I feel like he was one of the main reasons why we were able to take that next step. Being on the team with Fernando was just a blessing.”
Last season for Indiana, Mendoza posted an 87.9 overall PFF grade, 30th among 302 qualified quarterbacks. Moreover, he registered a PFF passing grade of 83.7, ranked 35th at the position.
Through 336 dropbacks, he threw for 2,758 yards and 32 touchdowns against five interceptions. He recorded 16 big-time throws and nine turnover-worthy plays.
Raiders GM Doesn’t Hold Back on Fernando Mendoza Selection