Klint Kubiak on Fernando Mendoza: 'As advertised'
Two weeks into the Raiders' first OTAs with their No. 1 overall pick, the coaching staff is already endorsing the work.
Fernando Mendoza was the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after a Heisman-winning national championship season at Indiana. Two weeks into his first NFL OTAs, head coach Klint Kubiak is already describing him in two words: as advertised.
What did Kubiak actually say?
After Wednesday's practice: 'He has not disappointed. 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 BS, he's all ball. Anything you put in front of him, he's going to attack it. Anything new, he spends extra time on. You can tell he fixes things from one day to the next.' That's a notably strong public endorsement for a rookie three weeks into his first organized program.
Who is Fernando Mendoza?
Indiana quarterback who won the 2025 Heisman Trophy after leading the Hoosiers to their first national championship in school history. Threw for 4,680 yards, 47 TDs and just 4 INTs as a senior. Transferred to Indiana from California after two seasons. The Raiders moved up from the 6th pick to No. 1 in a draft-day trade with Tennessee to take him.
What does the OC say?
Andrew Janocko, the new Raiders offensive coordinator under Kubiak, called Mendoza 'a sponge that wants to know everything.' He added, 'He's somebody that wants to know the whys of everything, the story behind everything.' Janocko spent the past three seasons as the Vikings' QB coach working with Justin Jefferson's QB pipeline (Kirk Cousins, Sam Darnold, J.J. McCarthy).
What's the OTA rep split?
Mendoza is taking the bulk of first-team reps. Kirk Cousins, signed in March 2026 as the veteran bridge, is taking second-team work and serving primarily as a mentor. The Raiders' announced plan is for Mendoza to be the Week 1 starter unless training camp shows he isn't ready. The current direction suggests he will be.
What's the technical adjustment from college?
Two things. First, taking snaps from under center. Indiana played 95 percent of his snaps in shotgun. Janocko's offense uses under-center play action heavily, so Mendoza has been working on footwork drills since rookie minicamp. Second, the speed of NFL defensive backs. Janocko has been having Mendoza watch tape of Justin Jefferson's separation against NFL coverage to calibrate his timing windows.
What is the realistic year-one outlook?
The Raiders went 4-13 in 2025 and the roster is still mid-rebuild. Brock Bowers at tight end is the headline receiver. The offensive line has been a project for years. The 2026 over/under is set at 6.5 wins. A rookie quarterback line of 3,400 yards, 22 TDs and 14 INTs would put Mendoza in the top half of the rookie class historically. The longer-term outlook is what the Raiders are buying.
Players in this story
Sources
- ESPN: Raiders rookie Fernando Mendoza impresses coaches, teammates
- NFL.com: Raiders OC Andrew Janocko on Mendoza
- Bleacher Report: Mendoza, Cousins QB reps revealed
- ESPN: Raiders QB Mendoza working on transition to under center
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