Raiders' Mendoza: Low Expectations for Top Pick

0:00It's April 23rd. Welcome in. This is NFL News Today, where football meets AI. Raider's fans are hyped about their number one overall pick. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, hoping he lifts the team to new heights not seen in decades. But history screams caution. Rookie seasons for top quarterbacks rarely shine. Over the last 28 NFL drafts, 21 signal callers went first overall and most bombed out the gate. Mike Payton Manning, in 1998, he threw more picks than touchdowns despite elite targets like Marvin Harrison, guys like Michael Vick, Eli Manning, Alex Smith, and even Trevor Lawrence followed suit, with interceptions piling up higher than scores. Injuries or inconsistency wrecked promising starts for others like Joe Burrow and Bryce Young. Only a handful stood out like Ham Newton, Andrew Luck, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Caleb Williams. When James Winston was just okay, but here's the kicker, they all had stacked weapons around them.

1:00Newton had Steve Smith and a killer backfield. Luck threw to Reggie Wayne. Murray leaned on Larry Fitzgerald, Williams had DJ, Moore, and Kenan Allen. Those vets made the difference. Mendoza steps into a thinner, group tied in Brock Bowers, and running back Ashton Johncie are studs, but wide receivers led by Trey Tucker with just one. The 23 career catches? That's a tough ask. He could be the Raider's best since Ken's stable or long term, so pump the brakes on year one expectations and let the kid cook.