Through rookie minicamps and practices, Fernando Mendoza has looked solid in his first offseason with the Las Vegas Raiders. As a first overall pick, there is a lot of pressure on him, but he has channeled all of that into getting himself used to schemes and tactics in the NFL. While practices and sessions have been vital for his development, he also had to appear at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles. However, the player was not too excited about the fact that he had to miss practice to be at the event.

“I’m going to be completely honest with you.” Fernando Mendoza told Sports Illustrated, “I’d rather be practicing right now, and I was really upset about actually having to miss practice for this. Although it’s great … it’s still been a great moment since it was mandatory I be here. I’m not going to feel sorry for myself and feel wishy-washy. I’m going to have a smile on my face and make the most of that present moment.”

The NFL Players Association hosted 42 rookies from the 2026 NFL Draft at the 32nd annual NFLPA Rookie Premiere presented by Topps from May 14 to 16 in Los Angeles. The timing quickly became part of the conversation, as the event came just before the Raiders were scheduled to begin OTAs on May 18.

The Rookie Premier event serves as the NFL’s first major introduction to the business and branding side of professional football. Other rookies from the class, including Sonny Styles, Kenyon Sadiq, Arvell Reese, and Makai Lemon, were also present at the event.

Throughout the two days, players are connected with brands and media partners through creating content and engaging with products, helping them build relationships and opportunities beyond football.

Even with some hesitation about missing practice time, Mendoza explained what he gained from the experience.

“Live and learn all the NFL pay benefits, make all the connections with different mentors here, let me make sure I can maximize my time to be able to create a positive impact and learn about my situation and surroundings,” Mendoza continued. “So those are all things that I really benefited from being here.”

This is not the first time Mendoza has shown how seriously he takes being with the team. Earlier this month, the 2025 CFP national champions, the Indiana Hoosiers, led by Mendoza, were invited to the White House on May 11, but Mendoza chose not to attend the celebration with President Donald Trump, instead focusing on rookie training and time with the Raiders.

Mendoza may have entered the NFL as a highly regarded college player, but like every rookie, he is starting fresh in 2026. With the way he approached OTAs and offseason preparation, he has already made it clear how committed he is to earning his place with the Raiders.

Fernando Mendoza shines in OTA session

Mendoza has already made a strong impression during his first month with the Raiders, with head coach Klint Kubiak admitting that he has been exactly what the team expected and is “as advertised.”

“[He has] not disappointed,” Kubiak said after Wednesday’s OTA practice. “He’s working his tail off. It’s very important to him that he asks a lot of great questions when he gets on the field. He’s no B.S.; he’s all ball.”

The Raiders are still slowly working Mendoza into the offense. During the team period open to reporters, Kirk Cousins took the first reps, followed by Aidan O’Connell and then Mendoza.

Kubiak also made it clear that Cousins is currently the veteran leader the team is leaning on, but he also praised how coachable Mendoza has been through the OTAs.

“Anything that you put in front of him, he’s going to attack it,” Kubiak said. “Anything new, he spends extra time on. You can tell he fixes things from one day to the next.”

Raiders offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko shared a similar view of the rookie quarterback.

“He’s really just a sponge that wants to know everything,” Janocko said via the team’s official website. “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.”

Mendoza also drew the attention of NFL Network’s Omar Ruiz, who described his passing performance as nearly perfect.

Even though OTAs are still non-contact, the reps are becoming more competitive with teams running 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills. For Mendoza, this is an important learning period as he adjusts to a new offense and the technical side of playing quarterback in the NFL.

The early feedback has been very positive, but the starting job is still something he will have to earn once the season gets closer.