After a dominant Heisman campaign, top pick Fernando Mendoza is challenging veteran Kirk Cousins for the Las Vegas Raiders QB1 job.
The Las Vegas Raiders finished the 2025 season with just three wins, and that landed them the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
In no surprise, the Raiders selected Indiana Hoosiers star and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza with the first selection.
Mendoza is hopefully going to fill Las Vegas' quarterback issues if everything goes well. However, the Raiders signed veteran Kirk Cousins after the Atlanta Falcons released him.
The thought process at the time was that Cousins would serve as the starter until Mendoza is 100% ready to play, so the Raiders don't need to rush Mendoza out there.
Matt Okada of NFL.com projected five quarterback competitions in the NFL, and when it came to the Raiders, he predicted Mendoza to be the starter by Week 3 at the latest.
"Regardless, QBs taken with the top pick almost always make their first start in September. Unless the coaching staff plans on shattering recent historical norms, we should see Mendoza -- who's been a "sponge" so far in OTAs, according to his new coordinator -- under center sooner than later," Okada wrote.
Mendoza transferred from Cal for his final college season, and he excelled as Indiana capped off a magical undefeated season en route to a national title in over Carson Beck and the Miami Hurricanes.
During the NFL Draft, insider Ian Rapoport said that the expectation was that Cousins would start the season, allowing Mendoza time to learn and develop.
So far, Mendoza has been drawing rave reviews during OTAs, which might make it more difficult for the coaching staff in Las Vegas to bench him and start the year with Cousins,
Other analysts have also insisted that starting Cousins doesn't help either side much, although the veteran played well in a short stint in 2025 with the Falcons.
Cousins threw for 1,721 yards with 10 touchdowns in 10 games last season in Atlanta as Michael Penix Jr. dealt with an injury.
The Raiders have a new head coach in Klint Kubiak and a lot of new pieces on the roster, so they shouldn't be viewed as a playoff team in 2026, although you never know with the way the league has changed lately.
It is only May, so a lot can change before Week 1 begins in September, and if Mendoza continues to impress the coaching staff and his teammates, it might be very difficult to go with Cousins in Week 1.
