Mendoza's NFL Draft Prep: Smart, Precise

0:00On April 8th, Fernando Mendoza is dominating NFL Draftock as the top quarterback prospect out of Indiana. Scouts and Mox have the Las Vegas Raiders grabbing him first overall on April 23rd. His feature-head coach, Clint Kubiak, just came from the Seattle Seahawks, so Mendoza's been deep in NFC West film. He's broken down Brock Perty from the 49ers, Matthew Stafford of the Rams, and more, loving their efficient systems. Mendoza calls them like point guards on the court. Smart, precise. He stresses he's not copying anyone, just pulling from a wide range of pros while prepping for any landing spot. Fans and analysts are buzzing about his high-man win in national title at Indiana, but he admits getting comfy under center will be a big NFL shift from his college days. Those West Coast offenses overlap nicely with what he ran at Cal and Indiana, making the transition feel smoother. The Raiders eased the pressure by signing veteran Kirk Cousins this week, setting him up as the 2026 starter, so Mendoza can learn without.

1:01Rushing in day one, Mott Drafts lock in Raiders, Mendoza at number one with Ohio State's Arville Rees to the Jets at two, and so on down the line. As Draft Knight nears, Mendoza's approach shows smarts you study everywhere because the board flips fast, and that prep turns rookies into stars. Keep an eye on Vegas building that future. You've been listening to NFL News today, AI-powered football coverage.