‘He lives here’ – Raiders assistant head coach Mike McCoy details one rookie who’s doing what he sees Maxx Crosby do every day
The Las Vegas Raiders have a rookie on their hands who’s got a similar work ethic to Maxx Crosby.
The Las Vegas Raiders drafted a bunch of rookies who share several traits. They know how to play good football, are versatile, and have extremely good work ethics. They are building this team the right way.
And, it all starts with the first off the board. Fernando Mendoza, while he’s unlikely to start right away, is the poster boy for what the Raiders want. He’s smart, he’s talented, but most importantly, he works hard. He already has the work ethic that most rookies don’t. He’s seen what guys like Maxx Crosby are like. So now he’s already doing similar things when it comes to work ethic.
The Raiders like the work ethic Fernando Mendoza has shown
“He truly wants to be great. And, he’s going to do everything he possibly can to be the best player he can be,” assistant head coach Mike McCoy told reporters on Tuesday. “He’s taking it one day at a time, and you’ll see the way he works every day. Even as you watch practice, you’ll see the other quarterbacks go back there, taking drops on certain plays, going through progressions, and making reads. He lives here.
“He wants to do things on his own, to do certain things to master the system, as I talked about, the footwork, the mechanics, the anticipation. [Mendoza] has a burning desire to be great, and that’s what the good ones do. There are some little things we’ve changed with him, but you just love where he’s at right now, and we just keep working at him, working with him, and give the other guys, the vets, all the credit in the world for helping him become the best Fernando [Mendoza] he can possibly be.”
Obviously, Mendoza is the guy. He’s the franchise guy taken No. 1 overall. He won the Heisman and the National Championship in the same season. But he’s still showing that there’s work to be done. Mendoza is starting at the bottom of the totem pole. The Raiders currently have him as QB3 behind Kirk Cousins and Aidan O’Connell. So, there’s plenty of work to be had.