Having Tom Brady as a mentor in Year 1 is probably the best thing that can happen to a young QB. Fernando Mendoza is expected to be blessed with that chance, as it is believed that he could be picked as the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Brady, who owns a minority stake in the franchise, has already held conversations with the rookie, and as per the former Indiana Hoosiers QB, he is expected to be a tough mentor.

“He gave me the message that he’s going to push me,” said Mendoza recently on the Dan Patrick Show. “He’s not going to be all lovey-dovey – and that if the Raiders draft me, he’s going to be a mentor and wants to pour into whatever QB the Raiders have.”

The 22-year-old has been linked to the Raiders since they were guaranteed the first pick from the first round in the 2026 draft. Mendoza is the highest-rated quarterback in the league after winning the CFP National Championship offensive MVP award in the 2025 season, leading Indiana to its first Heisman Trophy in his collegiate season.

They hosted Mendoza for the pre-draft Top 30 visit earlier this month, where he met Tom Brady, and they had the conversation. While it was their first meeting in person, they had virtually met during the NFL combine in February.

After the Raiders’ support staff met the Hoosiers’ star at the Combine, he was immediately put on a video call with the seven-time Super Bowl champion, where he was required to explain his play and future plan. While he impressed the Raiders staff, including Brady, Mendoza thought he “messed that up.”

Like many young quarterbacks, Mendoza idolized Tom Brady growing up, especially because he is from Boston and saw the former New England Patriots star as the biggest icon of his hometown. As a matter of fact, his high school football teammates nicknamed him Baby Brady because of the leadership quality he displayed.

Mendoza’s statistics show why he is the top pick, making him a top prospect to lead the Raiders for years and resolving their persistent quarterback dilemma. Playing 36 college games for the past three seasons, he has over 8,000 passing yards, while he logged a remarkable 3,535 yards and 41 passing touchdowns in his breakout 2025 season.

While Mendoza remains thrilled to improve under the supervision of Brady, he also praised the new Raiders acquisition this season, Kirk Cousins.

Fernando Mendoza has high praise for the new Raiders QB Kirk Cousins

After getting rid of the last season’s underperformer, Geno Smith, the Las Vegas Raiders bolstered the quarterback group by adding the fourteen-season NFL veteran and the four-time Pro Bowler, Kirk Cousins, who was available through free agency. Adding Mendoza to the roster could turn the Raiders into one of the strongest QB rooms in the league.

In the same interview, the 22-year-old was asked about possibly sharing the same locker room with the former Vikings legend at Allegiant Stadium.

“Well, if I am lucky enough to go to the Raiders,” added Mendoza. “I think it will be a great opportunity to learn from someone who has had so much success throughout the years and who I think have a very similar playing style to me.”

Neither Cousins nor Mendoza has cannon arm and high-velocity movement; both, however, have similar traits in terms of accuracy, leadership quality, and ball security. The seasoned QB has maintained low interceptions throughout his NFL career, while the 22-year-old had only 6 interceptions last season.

Mendoza also stated that during his time playing for California, he regularly watched Kirk Cousins clips, following his style from the Vikings tenure, after he was told that his demeanor and playing style were similar to the veteran QB.

Given Cousins’ age, he is expected to be a backup for the former Indiana star. In his previous tenure at the Atlanta Falcons, he was primarily a backup, especially in the 2025 season. After Michael Penix Jr’s season-ending injury, he played the final seven games for the franchise.

Nevertheless, sharing the same locker room with Cousins would be a huge learning curve for Mendoza in his rookie NFL season. With Tom Brady in the management, he could be a quarterback to watch in 2026.