The Las Vegas Raiders are getting serious in their scouting of Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. It’s expected that he’ll be the player the team will select with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
While Mendoza seems like an obvious choice on the surface, there has been debate about whether or not the Raiders have enough talent to afford using such a valuable asset on a quarterback.
Former quarterback Derek Carr recently suggested that the team shouldn’t draft Mendoza unless they feel like they have the pieces around him to set him up for success. Many took this as Carr saying the Raiders should pass on Mendoza this year.
However, that’s not exactly what he meant. He took to social media to clarify that Mendoza is a worthwhile pick at No. 1, but he just doesn’t want the Raiders to ignore their other issues in hopes that he fixes everything.
“Woahhhh let’s correct. He’s the obvious pick if the Raiders actually fix the problems around him,” Carr wrote on X. “Drafting him and changing nothing won’t work. Get healthy. Add studs. Go Raiders.”
Raiders Sending Leadership to Scout Mendoza
The Raiders are going to turn over every stone to make sure Mendoza is the right player for them to draft. He’s shown major promise all season. He’s won the Heisman Trophy and led Indiana to the National Championship.
There have been many quarterbacks who have been incredible in college but struggled at the NFL level. Mendoza seems like the real deal, but the Raiders want to see him up close to make sure. According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Raiders are sending some important leadership to watch Mendoza at the National Championship game in Miami.
“As the Las Vegas Raiders whittle down the candidates to fill their head coaching vacancy, league sources tell The Athletic that several candidates will be in Miami to meet with key organizational decision-makers in person,” Russini wrote.
“Minority owner Tom Brady will be in attendance at the national title game, which will feature Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner and potential No. 1 pick.”
Raiders Interview Mike McDaniel
The Raiders aren’t only going to be scouting Mendoza during their Miami trip. They are also going to continue with their head coaching search. The team has multiple interviews planned during their Miami trip.
The first one they completed was with former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. He was just recently fired from his head coaching job, but he went 35-33 in four seasons.
He’s one of the best offensive minds in the NFL, but there are concerns about whether or not he has the leadership qualities to be a successful head coach. It’s also fair to blame some of his Miami woes on injuries and lackluster play from Tua Tagovailoa.
Pairing McDaniel with a quarterback like Mendoza could be a recipe for success. He’s a smart coach for them to speak to, as he could also be in the mix for offensive coordinator jobs if he doesn’t get a head coaching job.
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