LAS VEGAS — Fernando Mendoza isn’t waiting for Roger Goodell to call his name. The Las Vegas Raiders hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the Indiana Hoosiers phenomenon is already operating like their starting quarterback. Coming off an undefeated 16-0 National Championship season where he racked up 3,535 passing yards and 41 touchdowns, Mendoza is bypassing standard draft prep to dive straight into Klint Kubiak’s playbook.
Most prospects spend March running the 40-yard dash and rehearsing interview answers. Mendoza chose a different route. He linked up with former NFL quarterback and 49ers quarterbacks coach Brian Griese. They aren’t just tweaking throwing angles or polishing footwork. They are actively installing the Raiders’ offensive scheme.
Mendoza operated out of the shotgun for 97% of his snaps during his Heisman-winning 2025 campaign at Indiana. Kubiak’s system, heavily rooted in the Kyle Shanahan tree, demands precision timing, under-center drops, and complex play-action fakes. Griese knows this exact system inside and out. You can almost hear the cadence echoing across the practice field as Mendoza bridges the gap between college spread concepts and NFL verbiage. He wants to hit training camp running.
“Fernando Mendoza is working with Brian Griese here right now and it’s not so much that they’re working on footwork. They’re installing the Raiders’ offense so he’s full speed ahead. I would be shocked, stunned, astonished if he’s not the first overall pick. I don’t see that going any other direction.”— Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network Draft Analyst (via The Pat McAfee Show)
To understand Mendoza’s obsessive preparation, look at his roots. Before the national spotlight found him, he was a lightly recruited prospect out of Miami’s Christopher Columbus High School. He watched his mother, Elsa, battle multiple sclerosis for nearly two decades with quiet strength. That family resilience built his mental makeup. He doesn’t take a single rep for granted. When a franchise prepares to hand you the keys, you learn how to drive the car before they even print the contract.
The Raiders cleared the runway. Las Vegas released veteran quarterback Geno Smith earlier this month, officially turning the page on a brutal 3-14 season in 2025. Smith quickly signed with the New York Jets, leaving a massive void in the quarterback room.
Las Vegas desperately needs a true field general. By attacking the playbook in March, Mendoza ensures he won’t spend his rookie August swimming in terminology. He will start Week 1. If this pre-draft dedication translates to Sundays, the Raiders are getting a relentless worker ready to drag this franchise back to relevance.
