Raiders Today

Raider Nation Reacts to Finding Next Franchise Quarterback, Fernando Mendoza

The Las Vegas Raiders had a productive Monday evening in South Florida.
Ezekiel Trezevant|
Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek and owner Mark Davis look on from the sideline before the CFP National Championship college football game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek and owner Mark Davis look on from the sideline before the CFP National Championship college football game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders traveled to South Florida to gather more information on several critical matters. They accomplished that on Monday.

Raider
Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis walks on the field before the CFP National Championship college football game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Mendoza Showcases Toughness

The Raiders had multiple front office members in attendance to watch presumed No. 1 overall pick, Fernando Mendoza, in the National Championship. It was no secret who the Raiders were there to see. Las Vegas holds the top pick in the draft and desperately needs a quarterback.

Mendoza has looked the part of a franchise quarterback all season. He did it again on Monday against Miami on the biggest stage. Mendoza led Indiana on scoring drives in two of the team's five first-half drives. Both drives were 12 plays or more and took at least 6 minutes off the clock.

Mendoza also showed toughness, delivering a solid performance despite taking several big hits. It is a situation he will inevitably experience in the league on one level or another, even after the Raiders fix their offensive line this offseason.

Raiders General Manager John Spytek was also in attendance with an eye on Mendoza. Shortly after the Raiders fired Pete Carroll, Spytek explained how valuable of an opportunity the Raiders have in front of them. Another team would have to offer the Raiders a lot for the Raiders to pass on Mendoza.

“The league is littered with when you get the top pick right, those guys are franchise altering players. There's probably no more important hire in an NFL organization than the head coach. They're the daily guy. They set the vision, they set the cadence. They are what touches the players every day and demand excellence from players,” Spytek said.

“And the players are the ones that have to go out there and do it. And the more good players you have, and the better person at the helm that you have steering that ship, my experiences is, the more successful you are. And you look at, are there two more important hires in an organization than a quarterback and a head coach? I think we probably all would agree that those two men usually steer the ship, and that's out in front of us right now." 

The Raiders got plenty of answers on Mendoza under the brightest of lights, as the Heisman Trophy winner showed multiple times why he is their quarterback of the future. His performance included several clutch throws and runs, as well as his ability to battle through adversity.

Mendoza's performance in the National Championship showed many different aspects of what to expect from Mendoza. However, it seems clear to just about everyone that he is the quarterback the Silver and Black have been waiting for. Time will tell what the Raiders' brass will decide.

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Ezekiel Trezevant
EZEKIEL TREZEVANT

Ezekiel is a former Sports Editor from the Western Herald and former Atlanta Falcons beat writer.

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