Fernando Mendoza has all the talent in the world. The Las Vegas Raiders wagered the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on him, however, because they seem to believe that he is the perfect marriage of great physical traits, a developed skill set and an unrelenting desire to work and improve.
At nearly 6-foot-5 and 236 pounds, Mendoza is the proper size. With incredible strength, good athleticism and the accuracy and arm to make every throw on the field, Mendoza has the on-field ability. And with his insatiable work ethic, charisma and humility, he can grow more and lead a team.
So, most believe that his success in the NFL will come down to the Raiders' ability to surround him with great pieces or how Mendoza adapts to less of an RPO-based system. In Las Vegas, he'll be in a more pro-style offense with an emphasis on under-center snaps and West Coast concepts.
And while Mendoza can work to get the most out of his teammates or dedicate himself to learning the playbook and intricacies of his new offense and system, ESPN's Jordan Rodgers seems to think that Mendoza's success may ultimately rely on something out of his control.
ESPN's Jordan Rodgers thinks Fernando Mendoza's success comes down to how patient Las Vegas Raiders are with him
Rodgers, a former SEC quarterback at Vanderbilt, a longtime personal quarterbacks coach, and the brother of future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers, appeared on Get Up ESPN on Friday. He went so far as to say that Mendoza's success will directly correlate with how long the Raiders wait to play him.
"I think it's a great situation for long-term success," Rodgers said. "But the success that Fernando's going to have is going to be directly correlated to the amount of patience that the Raiders need to have with him. The longer he sits, the longer he waits, the longer they wait until he's ready to put him out there, the better he's going to be in the long term."
Now, Jordan Rodgers' point is well-received. Yes, being patient with a young player, especially in a non-contending window, is good practice. No reason exists to rush Mendoza along and throw him to the wolves if he's not ready, or the team isn't ready to support him.
That said, I don't think a direct correlation can be drawn here. Obviously, Mendoza can't wait 10 or five or even three years and just automatically become a better quarterback. Sitting and learning can be valuable, but experience is eventually the best teacher for a young player.
Yes, watching a veteran like Kirk Cousins go through his routines and seeing how he operates in a game setting can be valuable. But if Mendoza is ahead of Cousins in the offseason, then the Raiders can't start the veteran for long. It wouldn't be fair to Mendoza or the rest of the team.
While Rodgers did mention that Mendoza being ready is important, that point is somewhat lost in the broader scope of what he said. If it were as simple as young quarterbacks improving through osmosis on the sidelines, then every NFL team would sit their rookie signal-callers. But they rarely do anymore.
Perhaps that is part of the problem. It is not as if the quarterback play in the current NFL landscape is at an all-time high in terms of production or pure talent. But plenty of signal-callers ended up faring just fine being handed the reins immediately, like Peyton Manning, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow.
The Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers of the world sat their turn and waited, though. Maybe Las Vegas doesn't want to sell itself short and, dare I say, only shoot to have Mendoza be an Allen or a Burrow. The Mahomes, Brady and Rodgers echelon is much more intriguing, honestly.
But the assertion that Mendoza can only have success if he sits for a while, though, doesn't seem like it holds true. Rodgers' point is to be patient, and that is great advice for Klint Kubiak and Co. to heed. Don't wreck Mendoza's confidence or ask him to do something he isn't capable of yet.
However, a perfect formula doesn't exist where Mendoza automatically becomes better after waiting a certain period of time. The Raiders don't need to overcomplicate this: Don't make him "pay his dues" or pre-determine things. Play Mendoza when he is ready, and the team is ready for him.
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