Inside Fernando Mendoza's meticulous Raiders game prep
Fernando Mendoza builds his edge through obsessive film study, handwritten play notes, and late-night script work—habits forged in high school that now define the Raiders' No. 1 pick ahead of Houston. Coaches already call him among the most prepared young quarterbacks they have coached.
Key Takeaways
- Fernando Mendoza has studied like a pro since age 15, filling notebooks from high school through Raiders OTAs.
- Coach Klint Kubiak says the No. 1 overall pick has an "upper hand" among young QBs on preparation.
- Mendoza mostly works with the twos behind Kirk Cousins but earned first-team joint-practice reps vs. Houston.
- After a 97-yard, one-touchdown preseason debut, Kubiak labeled him an "ascending player."
- He resets after mistakes with "tranquilo," leaning on Cousins, coaches and Tom Brady for advice.
Las Vegas drafted Mendoza first overall in 2026 after a Heisman-and-national-championship run at Indiana in 2025. The franchise sees his studious habits as the bridge from prospect to face of the franchise whenever he becomes the starter. For more franchise-building coverage in our Future Tech & AI Wonders hub, follow how young stars turn process into production.
Why does Fernando Mendoza's preparation stand out?
Former Christopher Columbus High coach Dave Dunn told ESPN that as a 15-year-old in Miami, Mendoza skipped cafeteria chatter to review practice plans in Dunn's office with a notebook and pen. Offseason meetings covered defensive trends and ideas for the Explorers' game plan.
"How many 15-year-old kids are wired that way?" Dunn said. That same detail carried into the NFL: during OTAs, quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan said Mendoza wrote out every pass play—progressions, footwork and self-critiques. Sullivan joked about the handwriting but praised the old-school process as a confidence builder.
Mendoza even studied Klint Kubiak's Seattle Seahawks offense on Sundays before the draft. Kubiak's bar is clear: the quarterback should be "the most prepared guy in the building."
How did Mendoza handle first-team reps against the Texans?
Through camp, Cousins has taken the starters while Mendoza mostly ran with the second unit. In Tuesday's joint practice in Houston, Kubiak kept the ones on the field for Mendoza after Cousins' first reps—the first shared starter session of that kind, per The Athletic.
Against last season's No. 1 yardage defense, Mendoza checked hot routes under pressure and hit Brock Bowers deep on a rollout for the offense's biggest chunk gain of the day. He also threw a near-pick to Kamari Lassiter and an interception to Jalen Pitre in the red zone, calling both film-room learning moments.
Texans edge Will Anderson Jr. praised Mendoza's energy and how he cheered his offensive line. Kubiak said he "did some good things" and wanted the young group "up to speed real quick" ahead of Thursday's preseason game (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).
What still separates Mendoza from Kirk Cousins?
Mendoza saw Cousins open the Raiders' 27-14 preseason loss to Arizona with a scoring drive and still felt a "significant gap." His own line—97 yards and a touchdown—was solid, yet he harped on first-drive jitters, misthrows and timing.
"Like you see Kirk has this time [and] anticipation. ... That's an area I've got to grow in," Mendoza said. Extra work includes under-center reps with centers, late-night indoor script sessions and immediate film study after games.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor said the mental edge comes from doing "everything that you possibly can," with Cousins and Brady as mentors. Fullback Connor Heyward added that Mendoza "wants to earn everything." After the Pitre pick, Mendoza's mantra stayed simple: "Tranquilo" — calm — and move on so teammates can still rely on him.