Draft selection: No. 1 overall (first round)
Since the moment he hoisted the College Football Playoff trophy, Mendoza has been a presumptive Raider. It just took three months to make it official. The Heisman Trophy winner brings the type of leadership, gutty playmaking, and talent to be a franchise quarterback. That isn’t in question.
However, everything new coach Klint Kubiak has said since he was hired indicates he’d prefer to let the rookie learn from the sideline, at least at first. The signing of Kirk Cousins makes that possible. This isn’t a Marcus Mariota– Jayden Daniels situation. I’ve been critical of Cousins in the past, but he played solidly down the stretch last season and is an ideal fit for Kubiak’s offense. He can provide a baseline and allow the rest of the offense to figure itself out without the added dimension of a rookie QB learning the offense.
Mendoza could force Kubiak to toss that all out the window with a splashy offseason and preseason. The pressure to play a No. 1 pick is real. But coming from an RPO system, it could take some adjustment before the Indiana product is fully ready.
There is no question that Mendoza is the future. When he sees the field could be determined by how the Raiders open the season. If they fall flat in the first few weeks, Vegas will be forced to see what the rookie can bring to the table. Come out of the gate hot, and he likely gets more study time before being thrust into action.
Starting prediction: Week 5, 2026
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