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3 Observations on What Fernando Mendoza’s Pro Day Means for the Raiders

The presumed first overall pick showcased his arm at Indiana's Pro Day. What can the Las Vegas Raiders take away from it?
Fernando Alfaro-Donis|
Fernando Mendoza participates in Indiana University's Pro Day at Mellencamp Pavilion on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
Fernando Mendoza participates in Indiana University's Pro Day at Mellencamp Pavilion on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders have the first overall pick, and their biggest need is a new signal-caller. Geno Smith is reunited with the New York Jets. Pete Carroll won't terrorize another organization. All is right in the world, except for the fact that the Raiders don't have their franchise quarterback.

The only quarterback who projects to be a franchise-altering quarterback is Fernando Mendoza, and he just participated in Indiana University's Pro Day. What are some big takeaways on how he performed and what that tells the Raiders?

3 Observations

One thing that was apparent in each of Mendoza's postgame interviews and his attitude on the field is that he's a team player. He has every reason to have an ego. He had one of the best individual seasons by any college quarterback, will forever be an Indiana Hoosier legend, and is about to be taken first overall from a multitude of players.

Despite all of that, he's still humble. If the Raiders want to accelerate their rebuild, it's going to take everyone on their roster to give it their all. The question becomes if Mendoza can do enough to fire up his teammates and get them to want to run through a wall for him. Everything he's revealed about his character shows that the Raiders will have a leader at the most important position of the game.

Mendoza's accuracy is one of the most attractive things about him as a prospect, and that was on full display in his Pro Day showcase. However, there have been a lot of quarterbacks who have impressed on their Pro Day performances just to struggle with actual NFL defenders rushing in their face.

Mendoza was able to stay cool, calm, and collected with the bright lights under him, but some of his deep shots started wobbling at the end. It's fair to ask if there was an NFL-caliber secondary on the field, if those balls would've been picked off.

Finally, I believe it's a foregone conclusion that the Raiders will be taking him with the first overall pick. John Spytek and the rest of the Raiders' top brass were all in attendance. Even if it's fair to question whether his performance will translate, it's obvious he put on a good performance of his skills.

All in all, Raider Nation should be buzzing over his performance. Klint Kubiak needs a leader like Mendoza to begin this rebuild, and the NFL world will be put on notice with this duo coming to shake things up.

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Fernando Alfaro-Donis
FERNANDO ALFARO-DONIS

Fernando Alfaro-Donis found his passion for sports playing high school football, which led him to pursue journalism as an English major at UCLA. He also covers the UCLA Bruins and the Los Angeles Rams as an On SI team reporter.