Fernando Mendoza is already showing the Las Vegas Raiders that he doesn’t want anything handed to him
The Las Vegas Raiders drafted Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday, just as we all thought they would.
When the Las Vegas Raiders drafted former Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza, they already knew what they were getting. The Raiders did their homework, and everything they found led back to a guy as humble as it gets.
He’s always been that way, and it will continue to be that way. Everyone who knows Mendoza or has interviewed him during this process has learned that. He doesn’t care about the individual accomplishments; he just wants to get better each and every day. And, he wants to praise his teammates. What else could you possibly want in a QB?
Mendoza will bring that humility to the Raiders, and he’s already acknowledged that in a way that Raiders fans will love.
Mendoza recognizes that there is work to be done and respect to be earned
“I’m at the bottom of the totem pole right now. I have to first earn my teammates’ respect, build that equity, and immerse myself in it. I’m ready to do whatever the team needs and calls me to do to help them win,” Mendoza told reporters during his press conference Zoom call.
Mendoza will come in and compete with Kirk Cousins and Aidan O’Connell. Right now, the belief is that he will sit behind Cousins for a year. However, if Cousins gets injured, there is a chance that Mendoza will get his shot as a rookie. Cousins is good enough to start you a few games and get some wins in 2026. But everyone knows who the franchise guy is.
The newest question seems to be: what number will the franchise guy get?
“I wore 15 in college, but I don’t know if I will in the NFL. I don’t know if I’ve earned that yet because the legendary Tom Flores, and he’s a Raiders icon.”
Mendoza may or may not end up being No. 15, but it’s clear the number would go to a good young man who’s humble and understands the legacy that’s been built with the Raiders.
