Despite exclusively operating in shotgun in college, Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza is embracing his new challenge.
There are a lot of difficulties in the transition from college to the NFL level as former collegiate athletes try to assimilate with their pro squads. The challenge is uniquely difficult at quarterback with the mental load and responsibilities the position bears, and Las Vegas Raiders’ No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza is learning to embrace that challenge. Mendoza only took five total snaps under center in three college football seasons – and he is now learning to run an NFL offense from the bottom-up and learn that skillset while not wanting to waste a single rep.
Mendoza is fully committed to getting up to speed for the Raiders, including getting up to speed taking snaps under center as he primarily did during minicamp, and will be expected to run that in coach Klint Kubiak's offensive scheme. To expedite that process, Mendoza has done hotel walk-throughs, fastidious film study, and skipping the Indiana Hoosiers’ reported trip to the White House to celebrate their first-ever national championship.
At his time with the Cal Bears and Hoosiers, Mendoza was almost exclusively in shotgun, and has pointed to the footwork as the biggest adjustment he’s had to get used to with much more emphasis on quickness in his first two steps. Mendoza has conducted the walk-throughs with each offensive lineman, taking 25 to 50 snaps with each to help get up to speed, showing a really strong commitment to those valuable extra reps.
To read more about Mendoza’s unique learning process as he commits to transition to under center, here is the full story from Raiders Roundtable writer Bob McCullough.
Mendoza has particularly studied current teammate Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold, both of whom have played in Kubiak’s system, to specifically watch their footwork and eye discipline – traits that are crucial to success at the quarterback role. There’s a long way to go, but Mendoza’s approach suggests how serious he’s taking his transition from college to the NFL to the eventual franchise quarterback for the Raiders.