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The Las Vegas Raiders will have to wait to see former Indiana Hoosier QB Fernando Mendoza throw the football. Ahead of the NFL Scouting Combine, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter shared news regarding the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.
“Projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza will not throw at the combine this week, per source,” Schefter wrote on Feb. 21 on X. “He will throw at Indiana’s pro day on April 1st, when the school has multiple pass catchers that Mendoza wants to help showcase.”
Despite the news, the Raiders’ front office did see Mendoza throw the football in a live game, as many, including majority owner Mark Davis and minority owner Tom Brady, were in attendance for the national title game between Indiana and the Miami Hurricanes.
Nonetheless, getting to see Mendoza throw again isn’t a bad thing either; the Silver and Black will just need to wait until his Pro Day. Still, the Raiders can begin getting to know the QB on a personal level to see if he’s a good fit for their organization as they enter this rebuild under new head coach Klint Kubiak.
Can the Raiders Put the Right Pieces for Fernando Mendoza?
With roughly $91.5 million in salary cap space, per Over the Cap, the Raiders need to do everything they can in free agency to put in pieces to help Mendoza succeed as a rookie, whether he starts Week 1 or takes over in the middle of the 2026 NFL season.
As a result, improving the offensive line should be a priority. Still, FS1 host Colin Cowherd questions whether the Silver and Black will put the right pieces in place for the young QB to succeed.
“I look at Caleb Williams, his first year, hit all sorts of sacks and negative plays,” Cowherd said on the Feb. 16 edition of “The Herd.” “Why would that be? Because his coach stunk. I don’t worry about Fernando Mendoza. I worry about the Raiders as his parent in this league.
“Bad offensive line. Even if Klint Kubiak is a good coach, he’ll probably be the fourth‑best coach in his division. Ownership is impulsive and ridiculously impatient. I don’t have a Mendoza issue. I have a Mendoza‑to‑the‑Raiders issue.”
Rich Gannon Gets Blunt About Fernando Mendoza
Meanwhile, former Raiders QB Rich Gannon didn’t hold back on his thoughts regarding Mendoza should Las Vegas decide he’s their franchise signal-caller.
“I still think it’s early in the process,“ Gannon told reporters on Feb. 10 (h/t Vegas Sports Today). “I mean, there’s a lot to like there when you look at his body of work. He’s got a lot of the qualities and tangibles you love with that position: Toughness, accuracy, competitiveness, and leadership skills.
“It’s just a matter of sorting through all the tape, just like these guys are going to do, and really trying to figure out who’s the best player for the Raiders in 2026.”
Furthermore, Gannon also spoke on the Raiders’ broadcast after the Kubiak press conference on Feb. 10 and noted that if Las Vegas does select Mendoza, he supports letting the young QB sit and watch until he’s ready.
“That’s the ideal situation,“ Gannon said. “I know with Aaron [Rodgers], he was not happy sitting for three years, but as it turned out, it was a pretty good deal for him.
“Nobody who comes from the college game is ready to play right away. There’s nobody. There’s so much of a learning curve, and so if you can go somewhere and have a veteran quarterback, get a chance to play, get your feet wet.”
Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports writer for Heavy.com, covering the NFL, MLB, and college football. He has previously covered the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has freelanced for PSG Talk, covering Paris Saint-Germain. He also worked as an editor at Athlon Sports, focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo
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