For Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, the NFL combine was all about seeing his chemistry firsthand with the Raiders. Holding the No. 1 pick, it was quite obvious that the Raiders would sit down with their priority in the 2026 NFL draft. So now, after both parties completed their meeting, the Hoosiers’ QB provides his two cents on how it went.

“I was lucky enough to have a formal interview with the Las Vegas Raiders,” Mendoza said during the media availability. “It was a fantastic interview. The coaching staff was in there. We went over some of my previous plays and drew some plays on the board. Thought it was a great meeting.”

The stage is set for Mendoza to begin the next chapter of his professional career. After a tragic 3-14 season, the Raiders have been at the first in line since the late 2025 season. Vegas is “not expected to move off the top pick,” which would make Mendoza the first quarterback the team selects in the first round since 2007. But there is a reason for that. For the past three years, the Raiders’ roster has been a revolving door for 10 different starting quarterbacks.

Veteran Geno Smith, acquired from Seattle, struggled in 2025 with a league-high 17 interceptions and 55 sacks. That’s not the type of instability the Raiders want to continue going into the 2026 season. Mendoza’s meeting with the Raiders was even more amusing because he got the chance to sit with his idol, Tom Brady. Since Brady is a minority owner of the Raiders, is presence was pretty obvious.

“When I walked into the formal interview for the Raiders, I was able to say a brief hi on the phone to Brady,” Mendoza said. “And so that was very special to me, and I look forward to meeting him in person, hopefully, one day, and learn from him.”

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Mendoza outlined his approach to leading an NFL franchise, emphasizing performance and earning the respect of teammates. The new Raiders head coach, Klint Kubiak, can perfectly use Mendoza in his offensive plans. Kubiak is known for creating explosive plays, and Mendoza excels at attacking all levels of the field. In 2025, he ranked 5th nationally in deep-ball completion percentage according to PFF.

While all these things make the Raiders fan very excited for the 23-year-old, the only question that remains is, once the team drafts him, when will he take the field wearing the silver and black? The Raiders head coach and the GM seem to have a difference of opinion on this.

The difference of opinion regarding Fernando Mendoza 

Both Klint Kubiak and GM John Spytek were very much sold on capitalizing on Fernando Mendoza. But the question is when?  Kubiak recently shared his thoughts on quarterback development.

“Any of these QBs that succeed, they would have succeeded regardless of myself or the organization, he said. “Great QBs find a way to get it done. … The cream rises to the top. You’re looking for who is that individual that can find a way no matter the circumstances.”

Contrary to this, Spytek is not that sold on the idea of throwing Mendoza right inside the fire from Day 1. Spytek understands that he has justified all the expectations by winning the Heisman and leading the Hoosiers to their first-ever Natty. But Spytek emphasized balance and protection over hype.

“You want to limit the amount of pressure on that guy from the start,” he said. If Las Vegas drafts Mendoza, Tom Brady, the Raiders’ minority owner, will mentor him. However, Mendoza still needs to fix certain aspects of his game as the Hoosiers’ quarterback. He must improve his ability to operate from under center (having taken only 3% of college snaps there).

Currently, the Raiders have veteran Geno Smith and Aidan O’Connell on the roster. However, there have been some speculations that the Raiders may release Geno Smith by March 11, 2026, to save cap space.