Why Fernando Mendoza Can Completely Change Raiders Culture

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Las Vegas Raiders are set to land their franchise quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft in just a few months.

The Raiders are in Indianapolis at the NFL Scouting Combine this week, evaluating all prospects, but everyone knows they will be selecting Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft.

Las Vegas is entering a rebuild, and it needs a player who can help establish – or change – a culture. Raider Nation hopes Mendoza can create and foster a winning culture when he joins the Silver and Black.

Colin Cowherd of FOX Sports believes Mendoza has what it takes to change the Raiders’ culture. He spoke more about what the Heisman Trophy winner will do for the team.

Fernando Mendoza: floor-raising QB

Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) races after the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

“To me, it doesn’t matter if Mendoza wins a Super Bowl ever, or even regularly wins his division,” Cowherd said. “The Raiders haven’t won a playoff game in 23 years, and the last time they did, they’ve only had two winning seasons since then. They’re an unstable mess. They just need stabilization.”

Cowherd offered a hypothetical to Raider Nation about what Mendoza might be able to do in his first few years in Las Vegas, noting that the organization should not be thinking about Super Bowls right now and instead needs someone to raise the floor.

Indiana's Fernando Mendoza (15) passes during the Indiana versus Wisconsin football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. | RIch Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“If you were a Raider fan, and you said the first three years, he goes 8-9, 9-8, and 10-7, you should take it now. Different franchises have different realities. You are not the Patriots, or the Eagles, or the Rams. You’re not. One of the poorest owners, 23 years without a playoff win.”

Cowherd believes Mendoza can make the Raiders respectable in a division with some of the league's toughest juggernauts.

Indiana's Fernando Mendoza (15) gets loose before the Indiana versus Ohio State Big Ten Championship football game at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“If you can’t even be above .500 on an average of once a decade, it’s not about Super Bowls. Raise the floor. Forget about the ceiling. How about bring back .500? How about bring back a winning November? When you’re in a division with Andy Reid, Jim Harbaugh, and Sean Payton, you’re just looking for viability. I would sign up for 8-9, 9-8, and 10-7 today.”

By coming in and making the Raiders a respectable franchise with his floor-raising play, Mendoza can solidify himself as a building block for the future, therefore improving the culture in Las Vegas.

The Raiders should eventually think about a winner, but right now, the team needs someone to bring them out of the basement of the NFL. Cowherd believes Mendoza is the quarterback to make that happen.

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