Indiana QB Mendoza Reportedly Learning Raiders' Offense

Projected No. 1 overall pick is working with former 49ers QB coach Brian Griese to prepare for NFL future.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 8:58pm by Ben Kaplan

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Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who is widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, is reportedly working with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback coach Brian Griese to learn the Las Vegas Raiders' offense. This comes after the Raiders traded away their current starting QB Geno Smith earlier this offseason, leaving them with only Aidan O'Connell on the roster.

Why it matters

Mendoza's early work with the Raiders' coaching staff signals that he is the clear frontrunner to be the team's next franchise quarterback, as the Raiders look to rebuild under new head coach Klint Kubiak. This gives Mendoza a head start on learning the playbook and getting acclimated to the NFL game before the draft.

The details

According to NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah, Mendoza is not just working on footwork with Griese, but is actually installing the Raiders' full offensive scheme. This is similar to the approach the Cincinnati Bengals took with Joe Burrow before the 2020 draft. Griese and Kubiak worked together on the 49ers' staff in 2023, so Mendoza is getting a head start on learning the system he's expected to run in the NFL.

  • Mendoza is working with Griese on the Raiders' offense in the lead-up to the 2026 NFL Draft.

The players

Fernando Mendoza

The star quarterback from Indiana University who is widely projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Brian Griese

A former NFL quarterback who was the San Francisco 49ers' QB coach from 2022-2024 and is now working with Mendoza to help him learn the Raiders' offense.

Klint Kubiak

The new head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, who previously worked with Griese on the 49ers' staff in 2023.

Geno Smith

The Raiders' previous starting quarterback, who was traded to the New York Jets earlier this offseason.

Aidan O'Connell

The only quarterback currently on the Raiders' roster after Kenny Pickett left in free agency.

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What they’re saying

“Fernando Mendoza is working with Brian Griese right now, and it's not so much that they're working on footwork. They're installing the Raiders' offense. He's full speed ahead. This is the same thing that happened with [Joe] Burrow, where you can use this time to really try and learn the core verbiage and concepts along with an offense.”

— Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network Analyst

What’s next

The Raiders will continue to evaluate Mendoza and other top quarterback prospects ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, where they are expected to select Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick.

The takeaway

Mendoza's early work with the Raiders' coaching staff shows he is the clear frontrunner to be the team's next franchise quarterback, as they look to rebuild under new head coach Klint Kubiak. This gives Mendoza a significant head start on learning the Raiders' offense before the draft, similar to how the Bengals prepared Joe Burrow.