Fernando Mendoza’s Future with the Raiders

Fernando Mendoza is seen as the potential future of the Las Vegas Raiders, though it’s uncertain how soon that future will arrive.

As per NFL insider Ian Rapoport, if Mendoza performs well at the start, the Raiders might consider him for the starting quarterback role next season.

“We’ve seen teams say in the past, ‘This rookie will sit and learn.’ But what if Mendoza plays so impressively that people start saying, ‘He needs to be in the game’? It may not be right at the beginning of the season, but it could happen fairly early on. That would be fantastic for the Raiders,” Rapoport remarked during an appearance on NFL Network’s NFL Insiders show.

A quarterback being a backup for most of the year is quite rare these days. The last player chosen first overall was Baker Mayfield, selected by the Cleveland Browns in 2018. Mayfield stepped in for the injured Tyrod Taylor and quickly established himself.

Mendoza, who was the Raiders’ top pick in last year’s NFL Draft, was initially expected to back up Kirk Cousins, who has been a mentor to him.

This past season, Mendoza had a remarkable run at Indiana University, winning the Heisman Trophy. He threw for 3,535 yards, secured 41 touchdowns with just six interceptions, and completed a whopping 72% of his passes, guiding the Hoosiers to their first national championship in college football.

If he can translate that kind of success to the NFL, becoming the starting quarterback for the Raiders, it could be a positive development. However, it might also lead to some awkward dynamics within the quarterback lineup in Las Vegas.