How will Mendoza Actually Do With the Raiders This Year? 🤔🏈
What's good, Hoosier Nation? 🔴⚪
What a ride last year was. Bringing a National Championship to Bloomington and seeing Fernando hoist the Heisman was completely surreal. Having spent time working directly with the football program before I graduated, seeing that level of success meant everything. It’s the kind of season we’ll be talking about forever! 🏆
Now that he’s the #1 overall pick, I’ve been thinking a lot about his transition to the league. Working around NFL locker rooms every day out here on the West Coast, I truly believe his talent and championship pedigree are going to translate into major success in the pros. But Las Vegas is a whole different beast. The Raiders locker room has a ton of massive, diverse personalities right now, and they've got an intriguing quarterback room dynamic with Kirk Cousins in the mix as well.
How do you all think Fernando handles that specific environment?
Matt Hasselbeck recently mentioned on the Rich Eisen Show that Mendoza's personality will actually be a “great fit” in Vegas. Plus, Sports Illustrated noted that during his time with the Hoosiers, he was a "human magnet" who got immediate buy-in from the team.
We all know he has that high-character, hard-working mindset that his new teammates are already praising. But does his leadership style immediately command respect in a veteran pro room, or will there be growing pains dealing with the Vegas spotlight?
SOURCES: Fernando Mendoza making impression on Las Vegas Raiders, teammates
Curious to hear what everyone thinks! Drop your takes below. 👇🎙️
I actually don’t think he will play much for awhile, unless Cousins is injured.
Fans out there who aren't as hyped about Mendoza are saying he's just Kirk Cousins 2.0 . Which makes me wonder why you wouldn't be hyped if you think that? You get a young Cousins-level QB, you did well.
I think Mendoza plays a couple games by mid season or after, because Cousins will get dinged up. But if Cousins is healthy I doubt Fernando beats him out. Maybe next year, but the whole team needs to develop, no sense rushing the QB. Let some growing pains fall on Cousins.
Maybe, if the Atlanta level Cousins is playing... Where when he was dinged up, he was terrible. If he doesn't rebound over that level, then they'll have to play Fernando. But I'm betting Cousins plays OK.
I still hope Fernando wins the job, he's not a guy who will get the deer in the headlights look from a tough year. So I think they should play him, because unlike many young QBs, Fernando will grow from a trial by fire. But, I just don't think they will do that.
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It sounds like we're going to see quite a bit of him in the preseason, so we'll know more soon.
Barring an injury to Cousins, I don't think he sees much action until late in the season. I think he'll have a solid NFL career if he stays healthy.
Hope is not optimism, which expects things to turn out well, but something rooted in the conviction that there is good worth working for. - Seamus Heaney, Irish poet and likely Hoosier basketball fan.
POTFB
The Raiders had a horrible OL last season. They've got new coaches in 2026, and Linderbaum at C was a great get, but there are still many questions surrounding the OL. An opportunity for Fernando to mostly watch and learn this season will be good for his long-term development - - and health.
If.. he plays much... it will be tough unless that hapless offensive line improves a ton ... they're awful