The Las Vegas Raiders had one of the worst quarterback rooms in the entire NFL last season. While the offensive line play did the unit no favors, Geno Smith threw a league-high 17 interceptions, contributing to an offense that finished last in the league in scoring and total yards.
Poor quarterback play was one of the major factors in the team finishing 3-14 and securing the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. There is little suspense about the direction Las Vegas will go, as it is a given that Fernando Mendoza will be selected to serve as the Raiders' signal-caller of the future.
And the front office has already begun preparing for the arrival of the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner, bringing in head coach Klint Kubiak, center Tyler Linderbaum, and quarterback Kirk Cousins to take the pressure off of him as a rookie.
Mendoza recently shared his reaction to that final move as he prepares to get drafted and lead Las Vegas into the future.
Fernando Mendoza shares his reaction to the Las Vegas Raiders' addition of Kirk Cousins
Mendoza is set to enter the NFL with plenty of expectations, with Daniel Jeremiah even going as far as predicting success very early in his career. Mel Kiper Jr. shared a similar sentiment, claiming that he could be the one to finally help the Raiders turn things around.
Of course, the rookie quarterback won't be forced into action right away due to the addition of Cousins. Mendoza recently appeared on the Dan Patrick Show, where he revealed his reaction to the franchise signing the four-time Pro Bowler.
"If I'm lucky enough to go to the Raiders, I think it would be a great opportunity to be able to learn from someone who's had so much success throughout the years, and who I think has a very similar playing style as me," Mendoza said. "I've been able to watch his film. It was two years ago, where I watched all his Minnesota Vikings pass tape. Every single pass, whether it was incomplete, (or a) completion, throughout the entire season, which is a lot because the NFL is a lot of games."
Mendoza expanded on how he has spent hours in the film room studying several NFL quarterbacks to help grow his own game, not just including Cousins.
"This was maybe some foreshadowing, but this was a year ago when I was back with California, and there were a couple of comparisons on, 'Hey, you play a little bit like Kirk Cousins, Sam Darnold, just from our NFL guys'. And so, at that point, I was like, okay, let me watch these guys and see what they do. See what they do good, and see what they need improvement on," Mendoza explained. "It was my free time. I love watching NFL ball. So, after I was done with my process, I would watch 30 minutes or an hour of Kirk Cousins or Sam Darnold. And this past year, it was Matthew Stafford. Not saying I play like Matthew Stafford, but just someone great to learn from. And those experiences have helped me a lot, especially getting adjusted to the college game and to see how quarterbacks process the defense."
Mendoza's obsession with getting better is something that should bode well for his NFL future. The soon-to-be No. 1 overall pick has shown the type of dedication to his craft that is typically only displayed by all-time greats.
Now, he has a long way to go before earning such a label, but getting mentored by both Cousins and Tom Brady should help Mendoza maximize his potential. As the Raiders embark on a new era, fans should be excited for what's to come.
The young quarterback's desire to be great should yield positive results for a franchise that has gone far too long without consistent success. And he's not threatened by the presence of Cousins at all; Mendoza is excited to work with him and embraces the challenge.
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