Matt Hasselbeck raves about Fernando Mendoza, comparing the Heisman winner to Andrew Luck, and he should be the Las Vegas Raiders QB in 2026 and beyond.
Geno Smith is back on the New York Jets after the Las Vegas Raiders traded him in exchange for a pick swap.
The Raiders then got off to a very busy start in free agency, agreeing to deals with plenty of players, most notably former Ravens Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum.
The Raiders have the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and all signs point to Indiana Hoosiers quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza as the choice.
In a way, this could be the most obvious pick in recent draft history. The Raiders need a QB, Klint Kubiak is the new head coach and is offensive-minded, and Mendoza is coming off an undefeated season where the Hoosiers won the national title.
So, Mendoza to Vegas seems like a foregone conclusion even months before the draft.
On Wednesday, former Seahawks, Packers, Colts and Titans QB Matt Hasselbeck, who played 17 years in the NFL, spoke highly of Mendoza.
Hasselbeck began by saying, "I love him," and "he's awesome" while doing an interview with Rich Eisen.
Mendoza's personality rubbed off well on Hasselbeck, and that is an important quality.
Hasselbeck called him a "likeable, lovable kid," even comparing him to Andrew Luck, who Hasselbeck backed up at the end of his NFL career.
"He's just got an authenticity to him that I believe plays in the locker room. ... I think it's going to be a great success for him going [to Las Vegas]."
Mendoza's stats are one thing to love: He threw for 3,535 yards with 41 touchdowns and six interceptions in his final college season.
But, as Hasselbeck hit on hard in this clip, it's the intangibles, such as his character and personality, that make him a promising choice.
The Raiders tried and failed with Geno Smith, and ever since Derek Carr left, they have been searching for an answer at the position.
Sure, Mendoza has parts of his game to iron out, as does every quarterback making the jump from college to the NFL, but there is no real rush for the Raiders.
The expectation is that they won't rush Mendoza into starting games as a rookie, although things could change on that front when camp begins.
The kid is humble, gentle, and full of positive energy, which should be a great development for a new-look franchise in Las Vegas with Kubiak coming to town.