As Phase 3 of the offseason kicks off for the Las Vegas Raiders, we enter a pivotal week of OTA workouts for rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
There is still no contact in voluntary sessions, but with teams permitted to run 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills, we’re inching closer to real practices. For the No. 1 overall pick, learning a new offense and some key technical aspects like working from under center and the play-action game, these reps could shape how prepared he is for Year 1.
Thus far, the coaching staff has been impressed with the rookie’s approach, particularly the mental aspects, which have predominantly characterized the early portion of offseason work.
“He’s somebody that wants to know the whys of everything, the story behind everything,” first-time offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko said of Mendoza, via the team’s official website. “What we’re calling, but why are we calling it?
“He’s really just a sponge that wants to know everything. So it’s a lot of fun working with a quarterback like that because he’s coming in as a blank slate in this offense — never been in this offense before — and just asking a ton of questions.”
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