Fernando Mendoza fulfilled every projection as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft for the Las Vegas Raiders. However, beyond the immediate splash of the pick, the real question in Sin City is clear: will he be the Week 1 starter?
The underdog mindset
Historically, No. 1 overall quarterbacks are expected to take the reins from the jump. But in this case, Mendoza himself was quick to cool expectations.
“I believe I’m still the underdog. I can tell you right now, I’m not one of the 32 NFL quarterbacks. I’m at the bottom of the totem pole right now. I’m ready to do whatever the team needs,” he declared following the draft.
His words are no accident. Not long ago, Mendoza wasn’t even considered an elite prospect when he left the California Golden Bears to join the Indiana Hoosiers. Everything changed after a historic season where he led the program to a national championship and claimed the Heisman Trophy, skyrocketing his NFL Draft stock to the very top.
Despite his meteoric rise, his rhetoric hints at another scenario: that Kirk Cousins, signed by the Raiders in the NFL offseason, could open the year as the starting quarterback while the rookie adjusts to the speed of the league. Within the organization, there is a growing sense that Mendoza beginning the year on the bench is a real possibility-a strategy increasingly used to protect the development of young quarterbacks.
Ultimately, everything will depend on his performance in training camp. If he proves he’s ready, it will be difficult to keep him off the field. But for now, the door remains open for Cousins to lead the offense early in the NFL season.
For Raiders fans, this scenario may require patience. The hype surrounding Mendoza is massive, but if the franchise commits to a long-term plan, it could be building something far more sustainable than just an immediate impact.