Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza plans to carry a chip on his shoulder as a rookie despite being the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
"I believe I'm still the underdog," Mendoza said Thursday, according Pro Football Talk's Myles Simmons. "Although the draft was today, once I got drafted, I'm now part of the NFL, and I can tell you right now I am not one out of 32 - although I was picked today one out of 32 - I'm not one out of 32 quarterbacks at this moment. So, I need to work every single day possible, because I'm on the bottom of the totem pole. ...
"I still need to earn it every single day and prove that I can play at this level, at (a) high level, but the resilience, whether it's a bad practice and be able to take that bump and falling down and using that bump as an accelerator to then learn from it, improve."
In his final collegiate season, the 22-year-old led Indiana to a 16-0 record that culminated in winning the CFP National Championship. Mendoza was awarded the Heisman Trophy after passing for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns against six interceptions with a 72% completion rate.
The Miami native's journey to the NFL seemed much more daunting a few years ago. Mendoza wasn't heavily recruited out of high school and committed to Cal, the only Power 5 program that made him an offer. He spent three seasons with the Golden Bears and transferred to Indiana after his 2024 campaign.
Mendoza is eager to get familiar with Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak's offensive system.
"This scheme, it really allows the quarterback to be a point guard," Mendoza said. "I believe that my job - we have so many great playmakers, whether from the outside, tight end, running back or offensive line, I just need to get the ball to the playmakers and do my part of the offense and be my one-eleventh."
The rookie joins a Raiders QB room that features Kirk Cousins and Aidan O'Connell.
