The Las Vegas Raiders selecting Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft is the league's worst-kept secret. After a year like the one they just had, it could not be more obvious that the Silver and Black desperately need a young talent under center.
Mendoza can do a lot on his own, but he'll need a savvy, offensive-minded coach to help him out, too. Pete Carroll clearly wasn't the guy for that, so John Spytek and Tom Brady embarked on a lengthy search for the franchise's next head coach. They have reportedly landed on Klint Kubiak.
Kubiak, who enjoyed plenty of success as the Seattle Seahawks' offensive coordinator in 2025, and Mendoza, who dominated college football this past year, should be a great pairing. However, some of Kubiak's past comments have resurfaced, and the duo may be even more aligned than fans thought.
Klint Kubiak's old college QB comments make Fernando Mendoza sound like a lock for Raiders
After accepting the job as the New Orleans Saints' offensive coordinator before the 2024 NFL season, Kubiak met with Saints Radio Network to discuss that year's upcoming draft. When asked about what he wants to see in an early-round quarterback, Kubiak gave a serendipitous response.
"I think the No. 1 thing you'd be looking at is how many games has a guy played? How many games has he started? What's his record? The guy that's probably going to get taken first overall tonight (Caleb Williams) has played a lot of football (and) won a lot of football games," Kubiak said. "So I think, 'Is he a winner?' That's something that you're looking for. The decision-making, the timing and accuracy -- those are the three things we spent a lot of time on as coaches. So, those would be the top four I'd be looking at: Record, decision-making, timing (and) accuracy, and how that would fit into what we do."
At the time, he was talking about players like Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and perhaps even Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix. But it also sounds like he is perfectly describing Mendoza as a prospect, which should seal the deal for the Raiders come April.
How many games has Mendoza played? 36. How many has he started? 35. What's his record? 25-10. But he also went 16-0 and won the National Championship in his final year with the Hoosiers. So, to Kubiak's question about whether or not a prospect is a winner, Mendoza provides an obvious answer.
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In terms of Kubiak valuing decision-making, Mendoza threw 71 touchdowns in college compared to just 22 interceptions. Only six of those picks came in the final year of his collegiate career, and none of them came in the College Football Playoff, when it mattered most.
Mendoza is practically known for his timing and accuracy, as he throws his pass-catchers open with great anticipation and completed nearly 70.0% of his passes at both Cal-Berkeley and Indiana. That included a 72.0% clip as a senior for the Hoosiers.
As for how Mendoza fits into Kubiak's system, that remains to be seen and can only truly be answered by Kubiak. But Mendoza's intelligence and relentless commitment to preparation should give Raider Nation confidence that he can adapt to and have success in any system.
Based on these old comments, which have recently resurfaced on social media, thanks to diligent Raiders fans, it sounds like Mendoza would be Kubiak's dream prospect. Months still separate Las Vegas from April's draft, but they can practically turn in the card now.