Raiders Prospect Mendoza Already Learning Las Vegas' Offense

Projected No. 1 overall pick is getting a head start on preparing for the Raiders' system.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 5:55pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a football quarterback's throwing motion, with sharp planes of silver, black, and red representing the strategic preparation for the NFL draft.A cubist interpretation of a quarterback's throwing motion captures the strategic complexity of preparing for the NFL draft.Today in Pittsburgh

Fernando Mendoza, the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, is already working to install elements of the Las Vegas Raiders' offense into his pre-draft training. Former NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah revealed that Mendoza is studying the Raiders' system with quarterback coach Brian Griese, mirroring the approach of past top prospects who used the pre-draft process to familiarize themselves with NFL offenses.

Why it matters

Mendoza's early preparation with the Raiders' offense suggests a potential alignment between the player and the franchise, which holds the No. 1 overall pick and is widely expected to select a quarterback to reset the position after a 3-14 season in 2025.

The details

Mendoza is coming off a standout junior season at Indiana, where he led the team to its first national championship while completing 72% of his passes for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. His rapid rise has positioned him as the consensus top quarterback prospect in the 2026 class.

  • The 2026 NFL Draft is scheduled for April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.

The players

Fernando Mendoza

A projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Mendoza is the consensus top quarterback prospect after a standout junior season at Indiana.

Las Vegas Raiders

The NFL franchise that holds the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 Draft and is widely expected to select a quarterback to reset the position after a 3-14 season in 2025.

Brian Griese

A quarterback coach who is working with Mendoza on installing elements of the Raiders' offense into his pre-draft training.

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What they’re saying

“Well look, I've been talking around with people not with the Raiders but with other folks… Fernando Mendoza is working with Brian Griese here right now and it's not so much that they're working on footwork. They're installing the Raiders' offense so he's full speed ahead.”

— Daniel Jeremiah, Former NFL Scout

“I think this is the same thing that happened with [Joe] Burrow where you can use this time to really try and learn a lot of the core verbiage and concepts along with an offense. So, it feels to me like I would be shocked, stunned, astonished if he's not the first overall pick. I don't see that going any other direction.”

— Daniel Jeremiah, Former NFL Scout

What’s next

The 2026 NFL Draft will take place from April 23-25 in Pittsburgh, where the Raiders will have the opportunity to select Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick.

The takeaway

Mendoza's early preparation with the Raiders' offense suggests a strong alignment between the player and the franchise, which holds the top pick and is in need of a long-term solution at quarterback. This proactive approach mirrors that of past top prospects and could give Mendoza an advantage as he looks to solidify his status as the consensus No. 1 overall pick.