The Las Vegas Raiders underwent an organizational gutting that has resulted in a new coaching staff and lots of new players.
The Las Vegas Raiders had the pleasure of selecting No. 1 in the 2026 National Football League draft and took Indiana quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza in a no-brainer move.
Mendoza was easily the best QB prospect in this year’s draft class and despite the Raiders doing its due diligence with other prospects, everybody knew that Mendoza’s name would be called before anyone else.
Mendoza led the nation with 41 touchdowns and an impressive 90.3 QB rating en route to an undefeated season that culminated in Indiana’s first national championship. The 22-year-old showed tremendous awareness, IQ and toughness throughout his lone season with the Hoosiers.
Mendoza got better every season he played in college and blossomed into a great quarterback that gained a ton of attention in 2025, and now he gets to deal with the pressure that comes with not only leading an NFL team but doing so as the first-overall pick.
While many predicted that Mendoza would step in and lead the way from the jump, his head coach would prefer that a rookie doesn’t start on day one. Coach Klint Kubiak has praised Mendoza and says that Mendoza is as advertised, but the organization signed veteran QB Kirk Cousins to support and teach him the ropes.
It’s quite possible that Cousins starts for the Raiders in the early going, which wouldn’t be a bad thing for Mendoza at all. However, Mendoza probably won’t have to wait long to get his first taste of the NFL.
ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry, a national NFL reporter, boldly predicts that Mendoza will start within the first few weeks of the season.
“The Raiders selected Mendoza with the No. 1 pick with the mindset that the Heisman Trophy-winning QB would arrive in Las Vegas and learn at the elbow of veteran Kirk Cousins, whom they signed in free agency,” Thiry wrote Monday.
“Coach Klint Kubiak has said ideally, he would not want a rookie starting from day one, but look for Mendoza to expedite the process.”
Cousins has a playstyle that resembles Mendoza’s, making him a great mentor for the young QB. Cousins, 37, has been a longtime starter in this league and has also been a backup, and he knows his job is to get Mendoza ready for a great career.
The four-time Pro Bowler has accumulated 44,700 passing yards, 298 touchdowns and 131 interceptions with a 66.7 completion percentage in 174 games.
