The Las Vegas Raiders have not tipped their hand as far as their plans for the No. 1 overall pick. While general manager John Spytek recently shared that the team continues to receive calls about the pick, it appears that they will stay the course and select Fernando Mendoza.
The quarterback has only met with Las Vegas, while the franchise's leadership brass hasn't met with any other top prospects in this year's draft class. Furthermore, Mendoza has reportedly been working with Brian Griese to get a head start on learning the Raiders' offense.
All of that is certainly exciting for Raider Nation, as the fanbase hopes that the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner can be the one to lead the organization back to contention. The latest update from Louis Riddick should provide even more reasons for optimism, as Mendoza is reportedly further along in learning the West Coast offense.
Louis Riddick's latest update on Fernando Mendoza should leave Las Vegas Raiders fans optimistic
One of Mendoza's top traits is his football IQ and willingness to learn. That has led the former Indiana Hoosiers star to seek out Griese, who worked with Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak in 2023 and played five seasons with the Denver Broncos, where Gary Kubiak served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, to learn the West Coast offense.
Riddick appeared on Up & Adams where he revealed that Mendoza is further along in the process than many may realize.
"For Fernando, obviously, it's a lot of new learning. He talked to me about that when I went out there for his Pro Day. But he's already way ahead of the game. He's already on it. And Brian has already texted me and said, 'Look, he's way ahead of where, maybe, people think he is at this point in terms of learning what the West Coast system is all about, the kind that he's going to run under Klint out there in Vegas'."
Riddick noted that anyone who knows Mendoza knows he is fully committed to maximizing his potential. He added that Griese has prioritized helping the 2025 national champion learn how to play under center, particularly in terms of timing, footwork, and play-action.
While Raiders fans have been aware that Mendoza is working with the one-time Pro Bowl quarterback, the fact that he is further along in the process than was originally thought is certainly encouraging news. Of course, Spytek and Kubiak have not committed to naming Mendoza the Week 1 starter.
In fact, they have gone the opposite route and revealed that they prefer not to throw a rookie into the fire right away -- while also leaving the door open for him to win the job in training camp. The fact that he has not only gotten a head start on learning the offense but is also further along in the process than originally thought should open the door for Raider Nation to see him make his NFL debut sooner rather than later.
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