The Raiders' Blueprint for Fernando Mendoza's Development

The Las Vegas Raiders have officially been on the clock since they earned the first overall pick, and there's little question about what they want to do with it. There's only one quarterback prospect worthy of being selected first overall, and a new signal-caller should be the Raiders' biggest priority in the draft.

Fernando Mendoza shows a lot of positives, and even if he didn't throw at the combine, there should be no doubt about his arm strength. Klint Kubaik will be tasked with developing the new face of the franchise for the Silver and Black, and he cannot afford to mess it up. His future as their head coach depends on it. What's one thing he must keep in mind?

To Start or Not to Start

If the Raiders continue to lean toward drafting Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in April’s draft, their preference is to not start him immediately.

Look for Las Vegas to bring a veteran QB in free agency.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 6, 2026

This is a surprising report to come from The Athletic's Dianna Russini, especially considering the Raiders' decision to let go of Geno Smith. It still saves them plenty of money against the cap, but he would've been fine as a veteran quarterback who was already under contract.

I guess Kubiak didn't want the veteran quarterback to feel pressured by a fanbase that already despised him, but I think that'll be the result regardless of who they bring in. I hate the notion of letting a young signal-caller sit behind a veteran because all it does is stunt their growth.

I'd understand if this decision stems from them wanting to protect Mendoza behind a poor offensive line, but they now have the highest cap space in the league. They have all the means to improve their offensive line and even get another offensive lineman or wide receiver with the draft compensation they got for Maxx Crosby.

The Raiders front office may be thinking that this will allow Mendoza to soak up knowledge from a player who's been in the league and knows how to handle big pressure moments. Thankfully for them, they have Tom Brady on their side, who would be more than happy to coach Mendoza in the offseason.

Dec 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Fox broadcaster Tom Brady is seen prior to the game between the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It simply feels redundant to get a fanbase all riled up by taking a quarterback with the first overall pick, just for him not to start right away. His sitting on the bench isn't going to erase the mistakes he's bound to make, but at least he can get them out of his system earlier than if he were to sit for half of his rookie season.