Sports radio hot takes may have Fernando Mendoza’s name attached to some less-than-favorable comments, but the 21-year-old first overall pick made by the Las Vegas Raiders has one of the best situations a rookie quarterback could ask for.
In today’s NFL, it’s practically a foregone conclusion that if you draft a quarterback with the first overall pick, you better be prepared to play him right away. Hand over the keys to the offense, introduce him to the press and put the jersey on – all in the same afternoon, if you please.
Not so with the Raiders and Mendoza, though, as Las Vegas recently indicated that it will be 15-year NFL veteran Kirk Cousins – not Mendoza – who will get the start. Far from being a disadvantage for the No. 1 pick, though, Mendoza should benefit immensely from the situation, giving him an invaluable behind-the-scenes look at exactly what it takes to be an NFL starting quarterback.
Rather than immediately tossing Mendoza into the deep end and asking him to wrangle complicated, blitz-heavy NFL defenses on his own, head coach Klint Kubiak’s squad is giving their prized rookie prospect a front-row seat as he watches one of the NFL’s most seasoned and successful passers (with over 45,000 career passing yards, to boot) go through his pro-weekly preparation routine. From how he prepares during the week, to how he operates in the huddle on game day, to how he breaks down film on Mondays, Mendoza is getting a behind-the-scenes look at exactly how to go about being an NFL starting quarterback – and, bonus, he’s learning it all from a guy who knows Kubiak’s system inside and out.
There’s no college football program that can mimic what Mendoza is currently experiencing, giving him a rare opportunity to soak in as much NFL information as possible without the stress and pressure of having to execute said information in a live game situation, making potentially costly mistakes in the process.
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