Las Vegas Raiders fans don't need anyone to convince them that Fernando Mendoza is the best player, or at least quarterback, in the 2026 NFL Draft class. And they certainly don't want to hear the detractors who tear down his game simply to spark conversation for what is an all but solidifed pick.
Nobody thinks that Mendoza is necessarily perfect, as no quarterback prospect is. But some of the criticisms of his game are not founded in any reason, like his "inability to move" or the sentiment that he was a product of having talented players around him at Indiana. Both of those are baseless.
However, even if Raider Nation isn't all that concerned about it long-term, they are at least a little worried about Mendoza's lack of under-center snaps and perceived heavy RPO (run-pass option) usage at Indiana. But Mendoza actually defended himself from that narrative in a recent interview.
Las Vegas Raiders likely QB Fernando Mendoza knows he isn't an RPO merchant
The basic gripe with relying on RPOs in college is that NFL teams don't typically use them, so the learning curve becomes that much steeper for the young player. But Mendoza doesn't see himself as an RPO merchant, per se, as he explained to Yahoo!'s Nate Tice.
"Yeah, the RPO narrative can for sure be a knock. However, I've actually had four different offensive coordinators (in college), so four different systems," Mendoza explained. "Whether it's been from Pro Style my freshman year, to Run and Shoot, to pure Air Raid, to then, this past year, I believe it was more of a multiple front."
Most folks just learned who Mendoza was during his crazy run with the Hoosiers. But Mendoza was putting together great tape in major college football at California before most knew his name, before he ran a lot of RPOs, and before he had a talented crew of players around him.
Mendoza also doesn't necessarily see a heavy usage of RPO plays in college as a negative thing. Although that exact concept isn't utilized by NFL play-callers, it can teach a young quarterback certain aspects of the game that are applicable at the next level.
"I also think the RPOs, you're tasked with making split-second decisions and seeing defenders, and really seeing the way that they move and making those split-second decisions," Mendoza noted.
For such a straight-laced prospect with absolutely zero character concerns or skeletons in his closet, so to speak, it was pretty fun to hear Mendoza clap back at his doubters. And he went on to talk about all the other elements of his game that should be highlighted more than that RPO usage.
He talked about how critical a part he played in game-planning with every coach he played under and how manically he prepared for opponents, whether that was learning defensive tendencies or pointing out weak links in the upcoming unit that they were set to face.
To add on to that, Mendoza talked about his experience on third-and-long, where he was forced to make throws in tight windows under pressure, which is quite replicable to the NFL. He also brought up examples of crucial third down conversions he made against some of the nation's best defenses.
Is adjusting to the NFL level going to be difficult for Mendoza? Of course it is. This is true for every quarterback prospect coming out of the draft. But between his insatiable work ethic and the great bevy of resources that he'll have at his disposal in Las Vegas, that learning curve should flatten.
Plus, Klint Kubiak runs a quarterback-friendly offense and, according to Kirk Cousins, wants to do what his quarterback is good at. And Mendoza is way too good at way too many things to be picking out his RPO usage as a way to disparage him. Thankfully, Mendoza finally pushed back on this idea.