There were not a lot of doubts surrounding Fernando Mendoza’s attitude and willingness to work hard when he was selected as the number one overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, not everyone agreed with this, especially The Ringer’s Billy Gill. He questioned the Heisman Trophy winner’s attitude after revealing that Mendoza had changed high schools due to playing time issues.

According to Gill, the Las Vegas Raiders star attended high school at the Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, but due to limited opportunities, transferred to Christopher Columbus High School. Mendoza’s father, Dr. Fernando Mendoza Sr., did not like the comments made by Gill and fired shots at him with three clown emojis on the clip that was making rounds on the internet.

Gill stated that Belen Jesuit was rivals with Christopher Columbus High School, which was known for its athletic accolades. However, he also raised questions about the QB’s loyalty after he had made that decision, which is what seemed not to sit well with Dr. Mendoza.

Following the comments from the Raiders’ QB’s father, Gill made another appearance on the podcast to address the feelings the Mendoza family had towards him.

“I was joking before, but now I am kind of wondering,” said Gill on The Ringer Tailgate show. “If that light criticism that clearly was a joke is getting under the Mendoza family’s skin, are we worreid little bit about like real NFL criticism and what happens.”

The school switch, however, paid off because Mendoza started getting more playing time in his new high school, ultimately securing the starting spot. In his role as the starting QB, Christopher Columbus ended with an 11-3 record. In 2021, he led his school to the state semi-finals against Venice High School.

The school certainly changed the trajectory of his football career in his teenage days, and the accomplished coaching staff helped him hone skills at an early age, paving the way for his collegiate career. After the brilliant 2021 in high school, the signal-caller went to California in 2022 and eventually joined Indiana, where he made history by winning the Heisman Trophy in 2025.

Prior to getting picked by the Raiders, Fernando Mendoza had a meeting with the Raiders in February. Coming out of that, Mendoza felt that he had ‘messed it up,’ but that was not what the Raiders felt. ESPN’s Adam Schefter revealed that the scouts were pleased with Mendoza, and he left with an impression of always striving to improve.

While this answers any question about his character, his loyalty was also seen when he decided to attend the draft from Miami instead of visiting Pittsburgh only so that he could be there with his mother, who is wheelchair-bound.

Going into his rookie season, all eyes will be on him as he is the number one pick, which is why criticism like Gill’s is going to be normal. However, the player is focused on the task at hand and is glad that he is in Las Vegas, of all teams.

Fernando Mendoza believes his playing style fits the Las Vegas Raiders

After last season’s failure, the Las Vegas Raiders were in desperate need of a top quarterback after parting ways with Geno Smith, who had an underwhelming campaign. However, having picked a Heisman trophy-winning QB in Mendoza, their frustrations in that position are expected to end.

“Deep down in my heart, I knew the Raiders were most likely going to be the best fit because of the coaching staff,” said Mendoza in his first interview as a professional. “I think it really fits my play style great because of all the great teammates on offense and defense. They’re stacked because of the great ownership. Whether it’s Mr. Davis or Mr. Brady.”

Mendoza is considered a natural fit for the Raiders because of coach Klint Kubiak, who served as the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks‘ Super Bowl-winning season and worked efficiently with Sam Darnold. This is why he is expected to do a great job with Mendoza, who had a 72% passing rate in 2025, excellent field vision, and impressive red zone efficiency, which could complement Kubiak’s playing style.

The Raiders also brought Kirk Cousins to their QB room, which will give them much-needed experience to help Mendoza. However, it also means that they have one of the strongest QB pairings, and this could help the Raiders significantly in getting back to the playoffs.