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11:06Breaking Down the Jets' Full 2026 Schedule
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8:50Breaking Down the Biggest NFL OTA Storylines
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1:15Emory Hunt: "Look for Mendoza to Start Week 1"
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1:46Teams With the Best Chance of Reaching the SB In Their Home Stadiums: Las Vegas Raiders
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9:31Breaking Down the 2026 AFC West Schedule
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1:58NFL Schedule Building 101: The Quarterback Dilemma In AFC West
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1:03Rookie You're Most Excited To See at Minicamp This Weekend
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1:39Fernando Mendoza Era Begins for the Las Vegas Raiders
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9:22Breaking Down the AFC West Offseason Checklist
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15:31Rookie QBs Who Could Start Week 1
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1:58Rookie Quarterbacks Who Could Start Week 1: Fernando Mendoza
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1:12Fernando Mendoza era beginning in Las Vegas
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8:05Breaking Down Top Storylines from 2026 Rookie Minicamps
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9:39JP Acosta Breaks Down 2026's Instant Impact Rookies
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1:56Who Takes the 2026 AFC North: Ravens or Bengals?
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10:28Biggest Questions for the AFC North After the 2026 Draft
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9:45Ryan Wilson's Best & Worst 2026 NFL Draft Classes
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1:07Best Offseason Moves: Raiders
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0:30Excitement Around Raiders Drafting QB Fernando Mendoza
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1:02What's The Pressure Surrounding QB Fernando Mendoza Going #1 Overall?
Top Fernando Mendoza News
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Raiders' Fernando Mendoza: Works behind veteran QBs in OTAs
During Wednesday's OTA, Mendoza worked behind Kirk Cousins and Aidan O'Connell and mostly with rookies during competitive periods of the session, per Sam Warren of The Athletic.
The report notes that Cousins took all of the first-team reps Wednesday and was followed by O'Connell and Mendoza, in that order. At this stage, the Raiders have yet to outline plans on when a starter will be named, with GM John Spytek having said, "The best guy will play." That said, with both Spytek and coach Klint Kubiak having previously expressed their inclination to not play a young quarterback right away, Warren and Ryan McFadden of ESPN.com suggest that Cousins is trending toward starting Week 1, citing the veteran signal-caller's ample professional experience, as well as his familiarity with Kubiak's offense. While the Raiders are intentionally easing Mendoza -- the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft -- into the mix, Kubiak has nonetheless been pleased with what he's seen from the highly-touted the rookie so far. "He's as advertised," Kubiak said Wednesday. "He has not disappointed." Given where Mendoza was drafted, it's assumed that the Indiana product will rise to the top of the Raiders' depth chart eventually, but he could begin his pro career, for a time, as Cousins' understudy. However, there's still runway for Mendoza to change the narrative on that front in the coming months, with Kubiak noting Wednesday of the team's QB pecking order, "It's gonna reveal itself, especially in training camp."
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Raiders' Fernando Mendoza: Learning to play under center
Mendoza has primarily taken snaps under center during rookie minicamp as he adjusts to head coach Klint Kubiak's offense after playing almost exclusively in shotgun formation in college, Ryan McFadden of ESPN.com reports.
Mendoza took just five snaps under center in three years split between California and Indiana, and the rookie first overall pick said after Saturday's practice that he "still has a long way to go" as he acclimates to playing primarily under center at the NFL level. He's a quick and motivated learner by all accounts, but if Mendoza needs more time to adjust to the NFL level, that could open the door for veteran Kirk Cousins to beat out the heralded rookie for the starting job out of the gate. More clarity on the state of Vegas' quarterback competition will likely materialize during training camp and the preseason in the coming months.
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Player Bio
| HT/WT: 6-5, 225 lbs |
| Birthplace: Boston, MA |
| Age: 22 |
| School: Indiana |
| Experience: R |