標籤: Mendoza

Rob Parker thinks Fernando Mendoza is going to be ruined.

The child has not taken a single picture. Not a single representative training camp has been conducted. Haven’t thrown a pass that matters since the national title game. And we have to file the judgment in May.

What is the proof of that? The NFL left the Raiders on the primetime slate. This is the whole logic. Apparently, the people who plug the games into the time slot in the league office have better information about Mendoza than Jon Spytek. These are the same brilliant minds who come to Jacksonville every Thursday night and tell us it’s time to watch.

Fox Sports’ Rob Parker’s “Hot Take” Is Simply Ignorant

I pulled the clip a second time because I wanted to make sure I held it correctly. I did it. Fox Sports Radio. Thursday. Mendoza’s busted, don’t bother looking, Brady ruined the franchise. All this cooked in May.

First let me explain the obvious part. The Raiders won three games last year. Three. Whenever the league gave him a primetime window in 2025, he was unwatchable. Why on earth would Park Avenue hand them another Sunday night from a rookie quarterback’s college tape? They won’t do that. He didn’t. Lincoln Kennedy said the same thing on the Raiders squad show and Kennedy played here, which means his read on this makes about a hundred times more sense to me than Parker’s. You earn primetime. This roaster hasn’t earned dishwater from Andy Reid’s plate.

He’s not on Mendoza. This is the situation he went into.

The piece that really gets under my skin is the valuation. Or what is missing.

41 Touchdowns. 3,535 yards. Heisman Trophy. Natty. In Indiana. I said Indiana. Spytech will not even take trade calls on picks. Not “took them and passed them.” Did not pick up the phone. I’ve covered enough drafts to tell you when a GM is doing due diligence and when he’s already made a decision. This is decided.

Criticism of Fernando Mendoza from “anonymous sources”

Now, the anonymous ACC coach who spoke told ESPN that Mendoza doesn’t have NFL traits. Sure, whatever. Ever since I was secretly drinking beer in college, anonymous coaches have been misunderstanding quarterbacks. They missed Brees. Brady missed. Mahomes missed by a country mile. The track record of sinking anonymous scouts on top picks is, to put it mercifully, poor. And now we’re supposed to believe one of these guys as scripture because this quote fits the premise that Parker was already cooking in the chamber? No. I am well.

Kirk Morrison has been in the league for a long time. Morrison said Mendoza is the hardest worker he has seen in his years in college. Morrison’s name is on it. The other boy was not with him. Pick one for the ride.

Parker’s Tom Brady performance as Raiders owner is also ridiculous

Then we get to Brady and this is actually where Parker offers his hand to me.

Brady ruined the Raiders. That’s his line. The attacker. Hugh Jackson. Dennis Allen. Del Rio. Give Gruden a run. McDaniels shot himself on the side of the road. Antonio Pierce. Pete Carroll for a year. The franchise that nuked itself every 20 months for 15 consecutive years. Brady reportedly ruined it.

Get out of here with him.

I will come equal to you. I’m not the guy who’s going to die defending Brady’s minority stake. The questions of how practical a part-owner should be are real, and the people I trust on this beat are asking them every week. We can do that column some other day. But the version of history where Brady torches a thriving operation? You have to forget that the last decade and a half of Raiders football even existed.

Brady was in Spytek’s room. In Kubiak’s room. In the room when the front office ultimately chose the quarterback they wanted, not the quarterback they got. He is not wasting anything. It’s someone who is finally aiming the gun in a direction that makes sense.

Raiders hot takes are just for clicks and attention

And here’s the thing about what Parker is doing. He is not analyzing the team. He is making a clip. He knows the word Raiders prints engagement. He pressed the button. The button worked. I’m at my desk on a Sunday at 9pm writing about him, so well, he won the day.

This does not mean that he is right.

Honestly a read on the 2026 Raiders is more boring than a viral clip. The spine is in reconstruction for the first time in forever. Spytech has done more in four months than in the four years of the last three regimes. Kubiak’s scheme needs to fit the bodies on the roster. A quarterback may be good, may be great, may spend a year on the bench and clipboard. I’m optimistic, but I’m not booking flights to Los Angeles. Cousins ​​are still cousins. The O-line is still a project. There is still a question mark on the receiver room. All of this is true at the same time.

But you don’t drop the word bust on the No. 1 pick in May because the TV schedule didn’t break out the way you wanted.

The kid hasn’t played a single snap.

Look at something. Then come find me.

Scott Gulbransen, a quintessential expert in the field of sports journalism, serves as an editor, nfl , mlb , Formula 1 … More about Scott Gulbransen

The New York Mets have been one of the biggest disappointments in baseball this season, entering Sunday’s game with an 18-26 record despite having one of the highest payrolls in MLB. As a result, questions are being raised about changes to the front office and coaching staff.

MBL insider Robert Murray wrote this week that he believes Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns is likely safe. This had a lot to do with how much team owner Steve Cohen wanted him and how long he waited to hire him.

RELATED: Insiders explain whether the Mets will sell at the trade deadline

“Cohen coveted Stearns, believing he was the top candidate for the job, and waited more than a year to hire him after he left the position with the Brewers. He would not fire him at the first sign of trouble.”

In New York, Robert Murray met with president of baseball operations David Stearns, claiming to be safe.

Stearns, age 41, established himself as one of the best general managers in baseball during his tenure with the Milwaukee Brewers (2015-2023). After taking over as the Mets president of baseball operations ahead of the 2024 MLB season, he led the club to the National League Championship Series in his first year, but the team is now on the verge of consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance.

Despite declines in recent years, Cohen still believes in Stearns’ vision for the future. Therefore, New York’s head of baseball operations would have to dictate how the club approaches the MLB trade deadline, with a strong incentive to buy out and save his job.

RELATED: MLB Power Rankings Week 7, New York Mets Climb

The same level of trust and job security doesn’t exist for Mendoza. Murray wrote that the Mets’ captain’s future “seems more uneven” and that change is possible. What doesn’t help the New York manager is the fact that a vacancy will attract the top managerial candidates in MLB.

Ultimately, the most likely outcome is that Mendoza will be fired this year and Stearns will be chosen as the next captain of the Mets. If things don’t work out with the next manager, Cohen will likely vacate the house.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Kirk Herbstreit has seen Fernando Mendoza play football on a national microphone more than any other player, and he has been watched a lot.

On the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, the ESPN college football analyst compared the new Raiders quarterback’s learning curve to that of two Hall of Famers and teased one that Raider Nation is going to be chewing on all summer long.

“You know why you trust him? Because he’ll beat you out of his mind,” Herbstreit said. “There aren’t a lot of guys who know the game and understand the game well enough to see the pre-snap movement in the NFL, the complexities of half the defense playing this coverage and the other half playing something else.”

He then dropped a comp that would remain on sports radio for the next month.

“He may need some time. I mean, Troy Aikman, Peyton Manning, everybody needs time to adjust to the speed of the game,” Herbstreit told McAfee. “But he’s going to be a game manager. He’s going to be a distributor. And his X factor is that he moves better than I think a lot of people want to give him credit for.”

Pump the brakes if you want. Herbstreit did not say Mendoza was Manning. He said the adjustment timeline for the typical quarterback isn’t immediate. There is a difference. But the names themselves tell you where the ceiling resides in Herbstreit’s mind.

Herbstreit is not alone in his praise of Fernando Mendoza

Pat McAfee, who had covered many of Indiana’s games the past two seasons, was right there with him. And he wasn’t subtle about it.

“Each ball is a tight spiral,” McAfee said. “Yeah, we saw him make throws during TV timeouts. We saw him make throws during games; we saw him make throws on the sideline with his brother. We saw him almost take Curt Cignetti’s head off when he was warming up. Every ball is a dart, every single ball.”

This too was no different.

Mel Kiper Jr. has been playing this drum for a month. An ESPN draft analyst called Mendoza “a mix between Peyton Manning and Matt Ryan” earlier this spring and made the point that this kid’s Indiana season wasn’t created out of thin air. Mendoza was getting first-round buzz from his Cal tape in August, before he even threw a pass for the Hoosiers.

Then, Bleacher Report’s analytics team this week took a look at what the most useful framing might be for Raider Nation. The range of his results for Mendoza spans from Ryan Tannehill on the floor to Peyton Manning on the ceiling.

Tannehill won 22 games in two seasons at Tennessee and pulled the Titans to within a quarter of the Super Bowl. This worst situation is coming to light. Worst case.

Read it again.

Clint Kubiak is managing Fernando Mendoza’s expectations like a pro

Clint Kubiak has been smart about all this. He has publicly stated that he wants Mendoza to sit behind Kirk Cousins ​​for a year and learn the offense before being thrown to the wolves. Owner Mark Davis opened the door earlier this week by calling Mendoza “potentially the starting QB,” but the soft consensus is still that Cousins ​​gets Week 1.

None of this changes what Herbstreit, McAfee, Kipper and Bleacher Report presented over the course of a news cycle.

Children are wired differently. The arm is real. Processing speed is the one trait scouts can’t teach. And the comparisons coming from national voices, which don’t do the Raiders any favors, keep landing in the same neighborhood.

Manning. Aikman. Matt Ryan.

Raider Nation has spent more than two decades waiting for a quarterback worthy of pinning the franchise. National media told him he might finally have one.

Scott Gulbransen, a quintessential expert in the field of sports journalism, serves as an editor, nfl , mlb , Formula 1 … More about Scott Gulbransen

The Indiana Hoosiers football team visited the White House and President Donald Trump on Monday, while Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza did not attend the visit. There was a reaction from President Trump on this.

Speaking before the Hoosiers football team, Trump said he was “not happy” about Mendoza not coming to the White House.

“I’m not happy, but that’s OK. The reason he doesn’t do it is because he’s in spring training, OK?”

President Donald Trump on Fernando Mendoza skipping White House visit (H/T ProFootballTalk)

Mendoza, who won Offensive MVP in the CFP National Championship Game, shared with reporters that he would not be visiting the White House because of practicing with the Raiders. He felt it was important to be there for rookie minicamp and believed the best way to serve his teammates would be to prioritize practice rather than celebrating Indiana’s national title.

The decision to prioritize football not only earned him some points with teammates and the Raiders coaching staff, but it also allowed Mendoza to avoid willingly throwing himself into political discourse.

However, Trump said that Mendoza had personally called him to explain why he could not attend. President Trump also said that Mendoza is “a big fan of ours” and that he would not have mentioned the star quarterback if he wasn’t.

“If he hadn’t done that, believe me, I wouldn’t even be talking about him. I don’t. If he wasn’t here for other reasons, like he didn’t like Trump or he didn’t want to come, I wouldn’t even have mentioned him. I would do the whole thing. [speech] – I’ll talk about how awesome it is [the team was]I won’t even mention the quarterback’s name.

President Donald Trump calls Fernando Mendoza to explain why he did not visit the White House

Mendoza probably would have preferred if that alleged call had not been disclosed, but he avoided public scrutiny by skipping a trip to the White House, and he had a legitimate excuse for doing so.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Raider Nation is angry again as an unnamed ACC coach told ESPN this week that Fernando Mendoza doesn’t have “NFL qualities.” His receivers made him look much better than that. The back-shoulder thing won’t work in the league. Those throws get picked up in the NFL.

Before you get all upset and take it to the “national media” and take aim at the Raiders again, step back and think a little differently. This time, the media is doing the Raiders, Fernando Mendoza, and their fan base a favor.

Mendoza Criticizes 2025 Nothing Like Shedure Sanders Takedown

Read the anonymous quote a few times. Now ask yourself if this sounds familiar.

Necessary. Almost a year ago, anonymous sources spent the better part of three weeks publicly dismantling Shedure Sanders. Both situations are being framed as parallel cases of pre-draft and post-draft doubt. They are not the same. They’re not even close.

Watching the coverage of Shedure Sanders last season, it was a completely different animal. That effort, fairly or unfairly, was a constant drain on Sanders’ draft stock. Tom Pelissero reported that a longtime NFL assistant coach gave Sanders the worst formal interview of his career, said he behaved appropriately, and said he took unnecessary sacks, among other things. An AFC executive said that Sanders wanted to command the room. An NFC scouting director warned of culture shock upon hitting the real locker room. One scout told Athlon Sports he mailed it every step of the process. A former NFL evaluator went on record with a 26-game film study and an unattainable grade.

Sanders then fell to take 144. Which retroactively validated every anonymous shot taken at him.

This is what a real eviction looks like. multiple sources. Multiple angles. The football, the character, the preparation, the medicals, the whole circus. The criticism was of the story.

Criticism of Fernando Mendoza is an outlier

During the draft process, some people were skeptical of Fernando Mendoza and his ability to translate what he did at Indiana in 2025 to the next level. Don Orlowski’s criticism and critique was perhaps the most publicized example of this type.

This time, ESPN reports, only one coach took aim at Mendoza. a coach. A coach who last saw Mendoza at Cal in 2024, before his signature year and his incredible run to the College Football National Championship. This coach saw him First 41 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2025. They saw him before he became the runaway Heisman Trophy winner. Before he became that guy, four other coaches told the same ESPN reporter that he was either “one of the more complete quarterback prospects” they had seen or someone who “grows up” in those moments that you can’t teach.

Please read the coverage of the ACC coach’s quote and see how it is handled. Bleacher Report ran it ahead of the Big Ten coaches’ praise. Clutch Points called the criticism “a bit unfair”. Hoosier State of Mind kept the word “somehow” in the title. Just Blog Baby went with “completely ridiculous and not supported by its peers”. Comeback speculated that Kirk Cousins ​​might have “some credibility” before heading to the safety net.

No one is treating this as a Sanders moment. Outlets are running the quote so they can include it in the same article.

RELATED: Raiders rookie minicamp 2026: Fernando Mendoza already looks like a boy

Mendoza consensus is much more positive

That’s why the national media, coaches, former players and evaluators talk more positively than negatively about the Raiders’ new franchise quarterback. The wealth of evidence is there. If Fernando Mendoza had serious question marks like Sanders, you’d be hearing it everywhere, but he doesn’t. Mendoza was first in FBS in EPA per dropback last season, second in EPA per dropback on third and fourth downs. Ranked fourth in EPA when tied or trailing in the fourth quarter. He is just a clutch player and the visual evidence is overwhelming.

Mendoza played hurt against Ohio State, came back and won the Big Ten title. He scored the game-winning touchdown in the national championship game. ESPN’s draft scouting report, written by a former college quarterback, identified pocket movement as his real weakness. No back-shoulder throw.

This coward of an ACC coach, who last saw Mendoza at Cal, has some kind of ax to grind. This is clear. He is criticizing a player who no longer exists. 2025 Mendoza completed passes at a different clip, threw to a different level of receivers, ran a different offense, and was asked to do different things. Treating those two players as the same prospect is the analytical equivalent of evaluating a stock based on last year’s performance.

On the bus: #attacker First-round quarterback Fernando Mendoza is training and throwing to Ohio State superstar WR Jeremiah Smith.

They are both Miami natives and potentially top-2 #nfl Draft picks back-to-back.

Future teammates in Las Vegas.

👀 pic.twitter.com/KDQ1a0Am2t

– mlfootball (@mlfootball) 7 May 2026

That doesn’t mean Mendoza is bulletproof or has proven himself in the NFL yet. In fact, he said as much at last week’s rookie minicamp. He knows he has to earn respect and admiration in the NFL by being the best quarterback he can be. Given his conduct, intelligence and track record, how can you doubt him?

As I’ve said before in this area, the Raiders need to develop a young quarterback. It remains to be seen whether this season’s impressive offseason moves and draft performance mean the organization is finally on the right track. The Raiders have unfortunately underperformed with talented players in the past. Inheriting the league’s worst offense by 2025 has a rookie quarterback to do the job, no matter what the consensus board said in April. But framing matters here. An opponent’s old decision is not a referendum.

Sanders had institutional doubts. Mendoza is a man with a chip on his shoulder.

If anything, this ACC coach trying to start a fire proved just how little fuel is needed.

Scott Gulbransen, a quintessential expert in the field of sports journalism, serves as an editor, nfl , mlb , Formula 1 … More about Scott Gulbransen

Here’s a version of the Raiders’ rookie minicamp recap that focuses on snap counts, drill reps and what it looks like to see the No. 1 overall pick throw a five-yarder out. That story is two days old and not particularly interesting.

It’s better here.

Friday night, after the end of the first day at the Intermountain Health Performance Center, Fernando Mendoza pulled the rookie offensive lineman into a hotel room and asked him to turn in photos. Not for show. Not for the camera. Mendoza played nearly every snap of his college career out of the shotgun at Indiana and getting comfortable under center is the most obvious technical hurdle standing between him and the Week 1 start. So he went and worked on it. on Friday night. After his first NFL practice.

This is the lead. Really, that’s the whole story.

also worth your attention: : The Heisman winner, who was about to sign a million-dollar contract, went to rookie camp and decided that he was, in his own words, “at the bottom of the totem pole.”

“In the rookie camp, everyone is trying to do well. It’s essentially a tryout for all the rookies, including me,” Mendoza said after the second day.

You don’t have to say that. You’re the No. 1 overall pick. The work is yours. But that’s what Clint Kubiak and Jon Spytek thought they were drafting, and over the course of one weekend, they got it right.

The Raiders locker room has already been purchased

You can tell what a rookie class thinks about a quarterback by listening to what other people say. This weekend three different teammates used similar language to describe Mendoza without prompting.

Trey Zuhn III, Texas A&M’s third-round guard and quietly one of the draft’s steals, called him “a man’s man.”

“He gets along with everybody. He’s very friendly, he’s easy to talk to,” Zuhn said. “He is a great leader and I am happy to work with him.”

Treydan Stookes, a sophomore guard whose locker is next to Mendoza’s, called him a “super funny guy” and said he likes the way Mendoza attacks his work.

And then there’s Kieron Crawford, the Day 2 defensive end pick. Crawford told a story this weekend that you can’t script. After the Raiders called his name, his agent immediately called Mendoza. Not the head coach. Not GM. Quarterback. Just to check in.

“Once my name was called, I said, ‘You know what, I plan on being with a lot of good people,'” Crawford said with a smile.

That tells you something about Mendoza’s reputation around the league before he took an NFL snap. And that tells you something about what kind of person the Raiders have hired to be the face of the franchise.

harmony beyond the building for mendoza

Newbies aren’t just turning out at 5pm and going their separate ways. Mendoza and Zuhn both mentioned that offensive players are continuing playbook walkthroughs in the team hotel after practice. The Friday night under-centre session was clearly the beginning.

“There are times when we’re just sitting in the hot tub, in the cold tub just messing around,” Zuhn said. “But when it’s work time, it’s work time and everyone knows it.”

It’s the right balance for a beginner. Free enough to like each other. Serious enough to study together in the hotel.

Now comes the hard part for Mendoza and the Raiders

This was always going to be the easy part. Two days, no experience, no real installation. Vol Mendoza talked about being “positively stressed” when OTAs open up later this month and he’s suddenly lumped in with Kirk Cousins, Tyler Linderbaum, Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers. Max Crosby and Quaye Walker will line up in front of him. The Day 2 standouts will have to do so against true NFL veterans.

But first impressions matter. And first impressions of this rookie class, especially the kid at the top, were as good as Spytek and Kubiak could have hoped for.

The franchise spent the No. 1 overall pick on a quarterback, two nights into his NFL career, running his own walkthrough in a hotel room to fix his weakness.

This is the guy you wanted. Over the course of a weekend, it sure seems like this is the guy you’ve got.

Scott Gulbransen, a quintessential expert in the field of sports journalism, serves as an editor, nfl , mlb , Formula 1 … More about Scott Gulbransen

There are no great replacement options available now for embattled New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza.

The start to the Mets’ 2026 campaign has been a complete disaster. Heading into tonight’s series opener against the Washington Nationals, they are tied for the worst record in baseball at 9-19. Recently the club has reached its lowest point after losing 12 matches, which will be considered one of the worst in the team’s history.

To make matters worse, at this time a year ago they had the best record in baseball. That is, they suffered a massive decline at the end of the season under manager Carlos Mendoza. The captain needed a fast start with this hugely expensive team to quell speculation about his job. Now, it looks like it’s only going to be a matter of time before he’s ousted.

Changing a manager during a season is a very difficult task. However, last week the Boston Red Sox presented a golden opportunity for the Mets when they surprisingly fired manager Alex Cora after a 10–17 start. Most people in and around Boston feel that their struggles are due to the team built by CBO Craig Breslow, not Cora’s coaching.

Alex Cora is no longer an option for the New York Mets’ replacement for Carlos Mendoza

The Red Sox’s decision opened the door for the Mets to go with a manager who has a World Series win (2018) and three trips to the playoffs on his resume. Unfortunately, Cora will no longer be an option for New York. At least not for the rest of the season.

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported, “Alex Cora was offered the Philadelphia Phillies managerial job before Don Mattingly, but he declined it.” “He has decided to spend time with his family.”

The Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson on Tuesday after leading his team to an equally poor 9-19 start this season.

If Cora wasn’t willing to take the job for a talent-rich Phillies team, it’s highly unlikely he would take the same position with the Mets. Although he could still become the next manager of either team, this would not happen until after the season.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

All year long, general manager John Spytek and the scouts worked miles to prepare before arriving on time Thursday. After entering the draft with 10 picks, the Raiders made 10 selections by wheeling and dealing. Eight of them came within the first 175 picks as Spytek made five trades.

Let’s analyze all of the Raiders draft selections.

Las Vegas Raiders officially select Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall

Since the Raiders knew they had the top pick heading into Week 18, Spytek had his eye on one player. Winning the Heisman Trophy and a national championship made Fernando Mendoza’s case even stronger.

“We had a great process and we promised ourselves, the ownership group, the fans that we would do it the right way,” Spytek said. “We didn’t start with the end in mind. Every step of the way, he checked the boxes. He made it very easy for us to realize this was the right guy at the right time for the Raiders.”

Connected:Fernando Mendoza is exactly what the Raiders were missing

No. 38: Treydon Stukes, S, Arizona

For the second year in a row, Spytech found value with a second round of declines. Originally holding the 36th pick, Las Vegas traded that selection and the 117th pick to Houston to acquire the 38th and 91st picks. The 38th became Stukes, a safety from Arizona who recorded four interceptions and six pass breakups last season. They had first round potential before losing to the Raiders in the second round.

Read also: Ashton Jeanty has the tools, the plan and the platform to head into Year 2 with the Raiders

No. 67: Kieron Crawford, EDGE, Auburn

With their third-round selection, the Raiders selected Crawford, an edge rusher from Auburn. He joins Max Crosby and Kwity Paye in the defensive end room. Malcolm Koons is on a one-year deal, and Tyree Wilson — who was traded Saturday — is expected to be a free agent after the season. This clears the way for Crawford to develop into a long-term contributor.

No. 91: Trey Zuhn III, C, Texas A&M

The second pick from the Houston trade, Zuhn continues the team’s investment in the offensive line. After signing Tyler Linderbaum this offseason and drafting Jackson Powers-Johnson two years ago, Las Vegas continues to move forward. Zuhn ranked first out of 632 eligible offensive linemen in PFF pass-blocking grade last season with a 96.8, leading to 10 total pressures – including two sacks and a hit – with only one penalty.

Also Read: 5 Las Vegas Raiders Whose April Minicamp Appearance Tells Us Everything

No. 101: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

To begin the third and final day of the draft, Spitek made his second trade, acquiring the 101st overall pick from Buffalo for the 102nd pick and a seventh-round selection the following year. Las Vegas moved up one spot to running back McCoy, a cornerback from Tennessee with potential top-10 upside who went down in January with a torn ACL. His recovery will determine whether the Raiders take full advantage of the move.

No. 122: Mike Washington Jr., RB, Arkansas

Despite sending the 117th pick to Houston, Spytek moved up again in the fourth round, receiving the 122nd pick from Atlanta for the 134th and 208th picks. Washington, 6 feet and 225 pounds, ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the combine and totaled 1,070 yards and eight touchdowns on 167 carries for the Razorbacks last season. He serves as the backup to Ashton Jeanty and brings the size and explosiveness to break off a big run.

RELATED: Ashton Jeanty has the tools, plan and platform for Year 2 with the Raiders

No. 150: Dalton Johnson, S, Arizona

The Raiders made their third pick of the final day by acquiring the 219th pick and the 150th pick from New Orleans in exchange for Wilson. Las Vegas drafted Johnson, Stuck’s former Arizona teammate, who is known for his versatility – he can play free safety, strong safety, nickel and slot.

No. 175: Hezekiah Maas, CB, Cal

Just when you thought the Raiders were focused on the secondary, Las Vegas drafted Hezekiah Maas out of UC Berkeley. Last year with the Golden Bears, Masses recorded five interceptions and nine pass breakups.

The Raiders drafted Janata out of California, their fourth defensive pick of the draft. He recorded five interceptions and nine pass breakups last season for the Golden Bears. His selection, along with Stucks and Johnson, allows Las Vegas to rotate Isaiah Pola-Mao and Jeremy Chinn into the nickel and strong safety roles.

No. 195: Malik Benson, WR, Oregon

The Raiders traded the 185th pick to Tampa Bay for the 195th and 229th picks, and used the first of them on Benson. He led Oregon with 716 yards and six touchdowns last season and projects as a deep threat for Mendoza. A nice project for Clint Kubiak, but far from north for the thin wide receiver room.

No. 229: Brandon Cleveland, DT, NC State

With their 10th and final pick, the Raiders took Cleveland, a defensive tackle from NC State. He started two seasons on the Wolfpack’s defensive line and had 10 tackles for loss his last two years, giving Las Vegas interior pass-rush depth on all three downs.

Also read: Jack Beech and Donte Thornton are auditioning for their job with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2026

Braven Honda graduated from San Diego State with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism in May 2021. During his time at SDSU, … More about Braven Honda

It seems like a Thanos-level inevitability that the New York Mets are going to fire manager Carlos Mendoza at the start of their series against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday, tied for the worst record in MLB at 9-19.

A 12-game losing streak dominated most of April, and when they broke the slump with consecutive wins last week, they dropped three of four to one of the worst franchises of the last decade, the Colorado Rockies. It’s been a poor start to the season that can’t be blamed on a number of major injuries. One of the most expensive rosters in the game has enough talent to be much better than this.

Add in the fact that the Mets had a historic collapse at the end of last season, and it seems highly unlikely that Mendoza is still on the bench by mid-May. So, who can New York turn to in an effort to save the season and become the first team in MLB history to make the playoffs despite a 12-game losing streak?

We’re looking to answer that question with seven possible options to take over as Mets manager soon.

Kai Correa, Mets bench coach

The most likely replacement for Mendoza as manager of the Mets will be their new bench coach, Kai Correa. The 37-year-old has been viewed as a manager of the future in MLB circles for the past few years after stints as an assistant with the San Francisco Giants and Cleveland Guardians.

There was also speculation in February that he was hired specifically as a backup plan if Mendoza’s struggles continued early this season. Of all the possible options, Correa would likely be team president David Stearns’ choice.

Alex Cora, former Red Sox manager

Last weekend, the Boston Red Sox surprised many when they fired manager Alex Cora after eight seasons. While the team has had a few losing seasons under his watch (including an 11-17 start this year), the 50-year-old has had some very good years in Beantown, including a World Series victory in 2018.

Furthermore, he remains one of the most respected managers in the game because he brought the best out of the talent he had. He wasn’t the one to trade stars like Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers and Alex Bregman or let them walk. Or continued to spend big to improve the roster despite being in a bigger market.

Although it will be difficult to walk away from the options available in the market and change things, Cora has the respect for the game that will give him a big chance in this.

Joe Girardi, former Phillies and Yankees manager

It’s possible that Stearns feels Correa is not ready to be thrust into such a high-pressure situation, or owner Steve Cohen makes a move to bring in a big name to serve as interim manager for the remainder of the season. That’s why former New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies manager Joe Girardi could be an option.

Although his performance in Philly was disappointing, he still has a World Series title on his resume (2009 with the Yanks) and is well-versed in handling the New York media. Girardi is one of the few managers available who can jump into such a difficult situation and possibly succeed.

Carlos Beltran, Mets special assistant

In 2019, Mets legend Carlos Beltrán was hired as the team’s manager. However, he lost his job due to his involvement in the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal. Nevertheless, he remains a part of the organization as a special assistant and has been associated with other managerial jobs over the years.

Beltran is a well-respected person of the game and his knowledge of the Mets organization is beneficial at this time. Additionally, he may be able to connect with the team’s Latin stars better than Mendoza as he was once an elite star in MLB.

David Ross, former Cubs manager

The managerial options for the Mets are few, with the season having just started a few weeks ago. However, one interesting veteran skipper who could be in the game if the team fires Mendoza is former Chicago Cubs manager David Ross.

Although he wasn’t amazing in Chi-Town, he was still very solid, and the team had a record of 83–79 before being replaced by Craig Council. If New York is interested in giving a former manager the rest of the season to prove they can do the job long term, Ross is a sensible choice.

Dick Scott, Mets Triple-A manager

Another short-term option with experience who could jump into the job on short notice is current Mets Triple-A manager Dick Scott. He has done a solid job at Syracuse, having been in the game for more than two decades, and previously served as the Mets’ bench coach in 2016 and 2017. So he knows the market pressure.

Although he won’t be the top choice, the Red Sox turned to their own Triple-A manager, Chad Tracy, to replace Cora last week.

Buck Showalter, Mets manager before Mendoza

Yes, Stearns ousted Buck Showalter from running for president for the first time in 2024. But New York sports fans have seen managers or coaches fired and return in the same role or with another NYC team. Besides, desperate times call for desperate measures, and the experienced coach who can jump into such a messy situation and turn things around is Showalter.

Let’s not forget that in 2022, he led the team to its first 100-plus win season since the 1980s. The biggest issue is that this is a team that is built to reach the World Series this autumn, and in more than 22 years as a big league manager, that’s something the soon-to-be 70-year-old has never accomplished.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

It took 19 years. It’s been nineteen years since the Las Vegas Raiders last drafted a quarterback in the first round and the man they selected that time – JaMarcus Russell – has become one of the most cautionary tales in NFL history. Thursday night in Pittsburgh, the Raiders got a completely different name calling. One, if everything goes right, could define this franchise for the next decade and beyond.

Fernando Mendoza. No. 1 overall pick. An attacker.

Say it again. It feels good.

Mendoza is a game changer on and off the field

In one season with Indiana, Mendoza became the first Heisman Trophy winner in program history, while leading the Hoosiers to their first Big Ten title, first Rose Bowl victory and first national championship – all in a perfect season. He threw 41 touchdown passes, completed 72 percent of his attempts, and posted an 8:0 touchdown-to-interception ratio in the College Football Playoff. Fernando Mendoza hasn’t had a good year for nothing. His single-season performance at the position was one of the best in college football history.

And yet, the story goes deeper than the numbers.

Instead of heading to Pittsburgh for the draft, Mendoza stayed home with his family in Miami tonight. One reason: Her mother, Elsa, suffers from multiple sclerosis and has difficulty traveling. The NFL pushed back. He did not budge. On the biggest night of his professional life, he chose his mother’s comfort over spectacle. It tells you a lot about who this kid is.

He’s a self-serious nerd, a conscientious thinker, a cheerful competitor, and an obvious business graduate who leads by example on and off the field. The Raiders just don’t have a quarterback. They have the franchise cornerstone.

Agent Leigh Steinberg put it bluntly: “He’s an ideal selection for the Raiders because he’s someone they can build a franchise around. He seems like he has the proper leadership skills and motivational ability to lead a team. He’s high character, he’s got physical size. He’s got great strength.”

That draft is not publicity. He’s a guy who has seen quarterbacks come and go for 50 years and tells you this is different.

The attackers had been waiting for a long time.

A franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game since 2002 now has a guy they hope will finally change that. That’s a 23-year drought of meaningful January football. Raider Nation is running out of reasons to believe. This is one reason. A real one.

Raiders snatch another Heisman winner

Mendoza becomes the fifth Heisman Trophy winner drafted by the Raiders, joining Marcus Allen, Bo Jackson, Tim Brown and Charles Woodson – four names that will forever be woven into the silver and black. Company specific. There should be expectations also.

Yep, nothing like that happens on draft night. The rebuild under GM John Spitek and head coach Clint Kubiak is real work, and it has to translate into wins. The expectation is that veteran Kirk Cousins ​​will be the QB1 until Mendoza is ready, and that’s fine. There’s no reason to push the 22-year-old into a starting role before he’s ready. Let him learn. Let him grow. Patrick Mahomes spent his entire rookie year. That worked.

But make no mistake, the energy around this organization changed tonight. There is still a pulse. A valid reason to engage, show up and care again.

Mendoza told ESPN: “The last five months have been such a blessing. I’m just looking forward to working and proving myself at the next level. College was great. I’m blessed to have this career. But now I’m stepping into a great game in the NFL. I’m looking forward to earning it every day.”

Earn it every single day. In a franchise that has seen many thinking it will be handed to them, this sentence itself is a breath of fresh air.

Add in the Tom Brady mentorship angle and it’s even more interesting. Mendoza himself said on the Rich Eisen Show that Brady has inspired him to be the best quarterback he can be, that it “would mean the world” to him and that all the ingredients are there for something real. An inspired young quarterback. A respected football mind in his corner. A front office that is finally making calculated, disciplined decisions instead of swinging wildly.

This is the best thing to happen to the Raiders organization in a generation. Not because Mendoza is guaranteed to be great, because nothing is guaranteed in the NFL. But because for the first time in a very long time, the Raiders picked the right guy, in the right way, in the right way.

Raider Nation, meet your quarterback.

Scott Gulbransen, a quintessential expert in the field of sports journalism, serves as an editor, nfl , mlb , Formula 1…More about Scott Gulbransen

Before the Raiders hit the clock, I want to go on the record.

Every year I do this. Every year, some of these age beautifully and some of them get screenshotted and thrown back in my face by people in my mentions who have been waiting since April to do the exact same thing. Good. This is the deal. You want accountable tech, they’re here.

Let’s start with the obvious and get it out of the way.

Fernando Mendoza has become number 1. I’m really going out on a limb here, aren’t I? The Raiders took over an Indiana quarterback who went 16–0, won a Heisman, threw 41 touchdowns against six interceptions and completed 72% of his passes in a national championship season. It takes almost zero courage to predict this. John Spytek said he has received calls about the selection and that teams “know where they stand.” This GM means stop calling us.

Mendoza is a Raider as of Thursday night at 8:15 pm Eastern time. write it down.

Now this is where it gets interesting.

How the top of the draft plays out past Mendoza

Jets It’s two o’clock and I’m taking Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey over Ohio State’s Arvel Reese. I know this is an unpopular approach. Reese is the unanimous choice, the athleticism darling, the guy most analysts have cornered. I don’t care. The Jets aren’t drafting for upside right now – they’re drafting for production. Bailey led the Big 12 with 14.5 sacks last season, posted 19.5 tackles for loss, and was disruptive every week against real competition. Reese has a high ceiling. Bailey has a track record. New York has been trying to replace their pass rush for half a decade and they don’t have the luxury of waiting on the potential Bailey already has to develop. The Jets took Bailey, and in two years no one remembered it being a surprise. But, this is a prediction that most of you will take a screenshot of.

Cornell Tate could not advance further than eighth place. On most boards he’s going somewhere between six and nine, and I’m not arguing with that range. He’s the most complete receiver in this class, a legitimate route runner who draws comparisons to Justin Jefferson from people whose opinions I really respect. Cleveland needs a receiver so badly that if he’s there at six, they’re not waiting. If it somehow falls, someone will do the business. Tate is leaving quickly with a smile on his face.

Omar Cooper Jr. is the wild card of the first round. Most big boards right now have him going between 13 and 16 — Dan Brugler at The Athletic has him ranked 21st overall, NFL.com’s Mock continues to have him landing at 13 on the Rams, and Todd McShay has him in the middle of the first round. Daniel Jeremiah expressed the possibility that he would lose in the second round. I think the truth lies somewhere between the consensus and Jeremiah. His receiving totals never topped 1,000 yards in college, and for all the athleticism and yards after the catch, NFL teams are going to be talking to themselves before Thursday night is over. He doesn’t make it to Round 2, but he doesn’t make it to Round 13 either. Cooper lands somewhere in the 18-22 range, and whoever took him there feels like they stole something.

What about the Raiders in Round 2?

Now – Raiders at 36.

The receiver board in this location is actually quite interesting. Zachariah Branch, Kevin Concepcion, and Isaiah Bonds all sit in that late-first to mid-second tier, and in most years at least one – if not two – of them are gone before the Raiders even get on the clock. Concepcion, in particular, is a mid-20s player on a lot of boards and probably shouldn’t have gotten here. If he does that, this type of slide teams onto the podium quickly. Any one of them makes sense here.

But the name I remember over and over again is Jeremy Bernard. The Alabama receiver doesn’t have the buzz of the top names in this class, but he weighs in at 6-1, 206 pounds and led the Crimson Tide in catches last season with 50 receptions for 794 yards. Dan Brugler called him a favorite among scouts and coaches, especially because of his versatility in all formations and his competitive mentality. He’s not a slam dunk pick here – Branch and Bonds both have arguments – but if Spytek is building around Mendoza’s comfort and wants a receiver who can line up at multiple spots and work quickly, Bernard fits that profile better than anyone else at this level. Kubiak will find ways to get him the ball.

Either way, the Raiders come out of Round 2 with a pass catcher. I’ll bet on it.

Attackers in Round 3 and beyond

When Vegas gets to 67 in round 3, I think SpyTech goes to the rescue. Specifically, defensive tackle. McDonald visited Henderson and everyone keeps throwing up his name, but let’s be honest – Kayden McDonald is an intriguing prospect. Many boards have him in the mid to late round of the first round, and if he somehow ends up in the late part of Round 2, Spytek should be trading on the phone, not sitting and waiting. He will no longer be there at the age of 67.

A more realistic target is Domonique Orange out of Iowa State. He visited Henderson, he weighs 325 pounds and projects as a round 3-4 pick across the board. He’s not a pass rusher, but in Rob Leonard’s 3-4, the nose tackle’s job is to hold the point of attack and keep the linebackers clean. Orange does exactly that.

Chris McClellan from Missouri is another name here. He also visited, and what separates him from the Orange isn’t pass-rush production (scouts doubt that part of his game), it’s versatility. McClellan can line up anywhere from zero-technique to 4i, which gives a defensive coordinator more options depending on personnel. One of them is a raider as of Saturday morning.

The secondary is addressed on the third day with at least one selection of the fourth round. Three fourth rounders are a luxury. Spytek uses one on a cornerback – I guess Delenn Everett from Georgia visited. The projection range on Everett is wide, anywhere from the end of Day 2 to the beginning of Day 3, so nabbing him with one of those fourth-round picks is realistic without a stretch.

The running back comes in on day three. There’s the name of Indiana’s Kellon Black – physical runner, strong in pass protection, and running backs to that national championship with Mendoza in two seasons. He projects in the fifth or sixth round, right where the Raiders have options sitting. You’re not asking him to go back to being featured. You’re asking him to provide a capable rotation option to Ashton Jeanty and contribute on special teams. Black can do this.

Then there’s Boston College offensive lineman Logan Taylor, who made the top 30 with the Raiders. He weighs 6-7, 314 pounds and started games at all four positions on the line in college – left tackle, left guard, right guard, right tackle. He is not someone who has wandered into a position; He is a man who has learned how to play football. You don’t need that to get started. You need him to give your offensive line room a reliable backup who can plug in anywhere when things get rough, and Taylor provides exactly that. He is the person chosen for the third day who fits the role of the third day perfectly.

Then it’s a receiver, a safety or two, a linebacker that makes your special teams coach smile. The third day is where you throw darts and hope one of them sticks.

Here’s my main takeaway: The Raiders will not be a contender in 2026. Anyone telling you otherwise is not straight with you. Six wins, maybe seven, is a realistic outcome in Year 1 of this rebuild. But a good draft – a Mendoza, a receiver at 36, a nose tackle at 67, secondary depth in Round 4, and a running back with system familiarity at the end of Day 3 – sets this thing up nicely for 2027 and beyond.

Check back Friday morning. I will remain here, either paying obeisance or explaining myself.

maybe both.

Scott Gulbransen, a quintessential expert in the field of sports journalism, serves as an editor, nfl , mlb , Formula 1 … More about Scott Gulbransen

时间已经不多了。

距离 NFL 选秀还有不到三周的时间，拉斯维加斯突袭者队将目标锁定在第一顺位——所有迹象都指向印第安纳四分卫费尔南多·门多萨。

门多萨和印第安人队于周三举行了职业日。这是侦察兵所看到的。

费尔南多·门多萨上演一场表演

三个月前，门多萨带领印第安纳取得了16胜0负的不败战绩并夺得了全国冠军，他在56次传球中完成了53次。

由于印第安人队的接球手努力给球探留下深刻印象，门多萨只投了两次球。所有 56 次尝试均在 20 分钟内进行，其中有两次短暂休息，路线涵盖整个战术手册，并进行手臂力量测试，将球推向前场 50 至 60 码。

这位海斯曼奖杯卫冕冠军在跑动中用手枪、霰弹枪向球场两侧投掷——击中平地、越过中间以及沿着边线进行后肩投掷。

这次职业日的与众不同之处在于：门多萨在每次比赛前都会喊出每个接球手的名字和预期路线，基本上就像挤在一起一样进行会议。球探们清楚地知道即将发生什么，并可以做出相应的评估。

“这是我第一次看到这种情况，”ESPN 分析师路易斯·里迪克在《体育中心》上说道。 “我并不是说突然间每个人都会说，‘哇，他很容易成为第一顺位，因为他宣布了这个人的名字和路线。’”我想说的是，这些都是整个过程中的数据点，当你谈论首先挑选一名四分卫并让他成为你的组织的领导者时，这些都是你希望看到的一些事情。”

另请阅读：突袭者队聘请迈克·沙利文作为四分卫教练来培养费尔南多·门多萨

新秀四分卫如何影响突袭者阵容和球队

突袭者队的多名成员参加了印第安纳州的职业日，其中包括主教练克林特·库比亚克。

尽管周四签下了柯克·考辛斯，拉斯维加斯仍在寻找未来的四分卫。这种情况与考辛斯上赛季在亚特兰大的情况如出一辙，当时猎鹰队选中了小迈克尔·佩尼克斯，而一名老将首发已经就位。

库比亚克相信，拥有一位经验丰富的老将来组织进攻可以加速新秀四分卫的发展。

“我认为在一个完美的世界里，他正在看着一个成熟的成年人去组织进攻并管理球队，”突袭者队一年级主教练周二在亚利桑那州的联盟会议上说道。 “你宁愿让他在参加比赛之前学习。归根结底，你要引进一个人——挑选一个足够成熟的人来应对一些逆境，无论是他首发第一场比赛还是第二年的第一场比赛。”

该模型并不新鲜。亚伦·罗杰斯在绿湾跟随布雷特·法夫尔学习。在旧金山，史蒂夫·杨（Steve Young）坐在乔·蒙大拿（Joe Montana）后面。突袭者队有自己的导师渠道版本。

这就是汤姆·布雷迪（Tom Brady）的用武之地。作为少数股东和组织顾问，布雷迪在塑造拉斯维加斯的第一顺位选秀权方面发挥着重要作用。

“在我工作的各个方面，我都会向他伸出援手，”库比亚克说。 “我要求他给我的是我真的不想听的建议。伤害我的感情没关系。我完全有信心我们将继续建立这种关系。”

相关：拉斯维加斯突袭者队总经理约翰·斯派泰克 (John Spytek)、教练克林特·库比亚克 (Klint Kubiak) 在 NFL 会议上谈到 Maxx Crosby 交易后果

Breven Honda 于 2021 年 5 月从圣地亚哥州立大学获得新闻学学士学位。在 SDSU 任职期间，……有关 Breven Honda 的更多信息

時間已經不多了。

距離 NFL 選秀還有不到三週的時間，拉斯維加斯突襲者隊將目標鎖定在第一順位——所有跡像都指向印第安納四分衛費爾南多·門多薩。

門多薩和印第安人隊於週三舉行了職業日。這是偵察兵所看到的。

費南多·門多薩上演一場表演

三個月前，門多薩帶領印第安納取得了16勝0負的不敗戰績並贏得了全國冠軍，他在56次傳球中完成了53次。

由於印第安人隊的接球手努力給球探留下深刻印象，門多薩只投了兩球。所有 56 次嘗試均在 20 分鐘內進行，其中有兩次短暫休息，路線涵蓋整個戰術手冊，並進行手臂力量測試，將球推向前場 50 至 60 碼。

這位海斯曼獎盃衛冕冠軍在跑動中用手槍、霰彈槍向球場兩側投擲——擊中平地、越過中間以及沿著邊線進行後肩投擲。

這次職業日的與眾不同之處在於：門多薩在每次比賽前都會喊出每個接球手的名字和預期路線，基本上就像擠在一起一樣進行會議。球探們清楚知道即將發生什麼，並可以做出相應的評估。

「這是我第一次看到這種情況，」ESPN 分析師路易斯·里迪克在《體育中心》上說道。 「我並不是說突然間每個人都會說，『哇，他很容易成為第一順位，因為他宣布了這個人的名字和路線。』」我想說的是，這些都是整個過程中的數據點，當你談論首先挑選一名四分衛並讓他成為你的組織的領導者時，這些都是你希望看到的一些事情。 」

另請閱讀：突襲者隊聘請邁克沙利文作為四分衛教練來培養費爾南多門多薩

新秀四分衛如何影響突襲者陣容和球隊

突襲者隊的多名成員參加了印第安納州的職業日，其中包括主教練克林特·庫比亞克。

儘管週四簽下了柯克·考辛斯，拉斯維加斯仍在尋找未來的四分衛。這種情況與考辛斯上賽季在亞特蘭大的情況如出一轍，當時獵鷹隊選中了小邁克爾·佩尼克斯，而一名老將首發已經就位。

庫比亞克相信，擁有一位經驗豐富的老將來組織進攻可以加速新秀四分衛的發展。

「我認為在一個完美的世界裡，他正在看著一個成熟的成年人去組織進攻並管理球隊，」突襲者隊一年級主教練週二在亞利桑那州的聯盟會議上說道。 「你寧願讓他在參加比賽之前學習。歸根結底，你要引進一個人——挑選一個足夠成熟的人來應對一些逆境，無論是他首發第一場比賽還是第二年的第一場比賽。”

該模型並不新鮮。亞倫·羅傑斯在綠灣跟隨布雷特·法夫爾學習。在舊金山，史蒂夫·楊（Steve Young）坐在喬·蒙大拿（Joe Montana）後面。突襲者隊有自己的導師頻道版本。

這就是湯姆布雷迪（Tom Brady）的用武之地。作為少數股東和組織顧問，布雷迪在塑造拉斯維加斯的第一順位選秀權方面發揮著重要作用。

「在我工作的各個方面，我都會向他伸出援手，」庫比亞克說。 “我要求他給我的是我真的不想听的建議。傷害我的感情沒關係。我完全有信心我們將繼續建立這種關係。”

相關：拉斯維加斯突襲者隊總經理約翰·斯派泰克 (John Spytek)、教練克林特·庫比亞克 (Klint Kubiak) 在 NFL 會議上談到 Maxx Crosby 交易後果

Breven Honda 於 2021 年 5 月從聖地牙哥州立大學獲得新聞學士學位。在 SDSU 任職期間，…有關 Breven Honda 的更多信息

Overall, the Las Vegas Raiders are preparing to make Fernando Mendoza the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He’s even reportedly already learning the offense from Brian Griese, who has overlap with first-year Raiders head coach Clint Kubiak on the 49ers in 2023.

Still, Mendoza is not expected to be the Raiders’ Week 1 starter. Las Vegas would love to find a bridge QB who can hold down the starting job until they determine the Heisman winner is ready for the job, no matter how long that takes.

recently, athleticSaad Youssef gave an idea of ​​who that QB could be. He plans to sign free agent Kirk Cousins ​​for the Raiders.

The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback wants an opportunity to play in 2025 after being limited to just eight starts. That opportunity could come in Vegas, where he would be an ideal veteran mentor for a rookie QB.

Cousins ​​not only has 14 seasons of NFL experience, but he spent the first three seasons of his career largely as a backup, starting only nine games in that time. Mendoza’s career certainly won’t start off the same way, but that doesn’t mean he can’t learn a lot from Cousins ​​early on.

Ultimately, Cousins ​​and the Raiders could be a perfect fit. He gets a chance to play (even if there’s no guarantee he’ll play for long), and they make sure a talented veteran who isn’t afraid to work can help coach their young franchise QB.

RELATED: 2026 NFL Mock Draft: End of March edition

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

Fernando Mendoza has already made a serious name for himself ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Indiana Hoosiers QB has stepped into leadership roles both on and off the field. Climbing up draft boards after having what was called one of the best single seasons by a Big Ten quarterback.

After transferring from Cal, the Miami native helped transform Indiana from a struggling program into a serious contender. That run ended with a perfect 16–0 record and the school’s first national championship. His statistics supported it, but what stood out was his composure in the big moments. This led to his Heisman win, where he received 84.6% of the votes.

Now, as he prepares for the draft, let’s take a deeper look at what made Fernando Mendoza who he is today.

What high school did Fernando Mendoza go to?

Mendoza went to Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, where, as quarterback on the football team, he completed 133 of his 203 pass attempts for 1,396 yards and 16 touchdowns with four interceptions, while also adding 137 yards and a touchdown on the ground in two seasons. He was just as good in the classroom, receiving a 4.7 GPA from school.

What college did Fernando Mendoza go to?

Mendoza graduated from Indiana University’s Haas School of Business; Before this, he attended the University of California.

What is Fernando Mendoza College GPA?

Mendoza has a 3.4 GPA in college after graduating from Indiana University.

What degree does Fernando Mendoza have?

Mendoza holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley. According to his LinkedIn, he also has a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Indiana University Bloomington.

Why did Fernando Mendoza transfer from Cal to Indiana?

When discussing his transfer, Mendoza said he saw Indiana as the best place for development, choosing the program instead of “blue bloods” like Georgia and Missouri because Cignetti promised to turn him into “the best Fernando Mendoza.” Mendoza stated that the primary reason for his departure was to find a system that could turn him into a “pro-ready quarterback”.

Another reason Mendoza decided to go to Bloomington was his younger brother, Alberto, who was already a redshirt freshman quarterback at Indiana.

How much did Fernando Mendoza make with zero money?

According to NFL sources, Mendoza is worth $2.6 million, which ranks him in the top five nationally among college football players.

Fernando Mendoza’s college statistics

Mendoza accumulated 8,267 passing yards and 71 TDs at California and Indiana. At Cal, during his 2 seasons, he has racked up 4,712 yards and 30 TDs. And at Indiana (2025): 3,535 yards, 41 TDs.

Will the Las Vegas Raiders draft Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall?

According to multiple reports, the draft is interested in drafting Mendoza as the No. 1 pick.

Clint Kubiak changed his mind.

Three weeks after the Las Vegas Raiders announced their coaching staff would be without a quarterbacks coach – a decision that raised eyebrows considering the decision was coming on April 23 – Kubiak has returned and filled the spot. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo, the Raiders are hiring longtime NFL assistant Mike Sullivan for the role.

Sullivan, 59, has been a quarterbacks coach in this league four times: twice with the New York Giants, once with the Denver Broncos, and most recently with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2021-23. He also has experience as an offensive coordinator with the Buccaneers and Giants. He was set to join Rutgers as a senior offensive assistant before coming back to Las Vegas. The two have history, as Sullivan and Kubiak were on the same Broncos staff in 2018.

Rent matters for an obvious reason. Fernando Mendoza is almost certainly walking through that door as the No. 1 pick in Pittsburgh on April 23 and the Raiders have a complicated history developing young quarterbacks. Sullivan helped bring along Eli Manning during New York’s 2011 Super Bowl run. He has done this before also.

When I wrote about this vacancy in early March, the thinking around the organization was that Kubiak, along with OC Andrew Janko and assistant head coach Mike McCoy, had enough experienced offensive minds in the building to cover the position. This is still true. But adding Sullivan doesn’t hurt. It just means Mendoza has another voice – a dedicated one – when the real work begins.

The question mark on the staff in 2026 was always Rob Leonard on defense, not the QB room. Sullivan’s appointment does not change that. But for a franchise that has often botched quarterback development, getting this piece right matters. Kubiak called. Now we’ll see what Sullivan does with it.

Scott Gulbransen, a quintessential expert in the field of sports journalism, serves as an editor, nfl , mlb , Formula 1 … More about Scott Gulbransen

I want to say something that I think a lot of people in Raider Nation already feel but may not have heard it clearly: A lot of the activity against Fernando Mendoza ramped up right when it became clear he was going to Las Vegas. Make of that what you will.

Now look, I’m not here to pretend there aren’t legitimate questions about Mendoza’s game. there are. He played almost entirely out of the shotgun at Indiana. Only 3% of his college photos came under the center. He will need to adjust to reading defenses that play with different guises than anything he has faced in the Big Ten. Those are real things, and any honest assessment has to include them.

But here’s what I also know: No quarterback prospect is a sure shot. Not always. Not one. Trevor Lawrence was “generational”. Bryce Young was “much more sophisticated than his age”. JaMarcus Russell was compared to John Elway, and I’m not making this up. The NFL has humbled every consensus person at one point or another. So when an anonymous NFL offensive coach tells The Athletic he likes Ty Simpson, it’s an opinion. This does not make Mendoza damaged goods. This makes him a prospect – like every other player who has ever been drafted.

One part of Mendoza’s resume that critics continue to overlook is that he doesn’t fit neatly into scouting reports.

Raiders smart in looking at Fernando Mendoza’s intangibles

This guy transferred from Cal to Indiana and won a national championship. Led the Hoosiers to a 16–0 record. Won the Heisman. Throwed 41 touchdowns against six interceptions. Led a game-winning drive at Penn State. Lost the Big Ten Championship game against Ohio State and came back to win it. Those are not system statistics. He is a child who plays bigger than the moment, every time the moment becomes bigger.

Dan Orlowski watched eight games and said he saw “a lot of clean pockets.” You know what else you saw in those games? An undefeated season. A quarterback who understood exactly where to go with the football and did so with speed time and again against the best defense in the country. Complaining about having clean pockets is strange. Elite quarterbacks are expected to create clean pockets with their pre-snap reads and decision making. This is called being good.

The ongoing Jared Goff comparison on FS1 seems like an insult. But Jared Goff just won a Super Bowl. He has been one of the most efficient passers in the NFL over the past three seasons. If Mendoza’s destination is Jared Goff, the Raiders should feel pretty good about that bet.

Attackers are making calculated and educated bets on Mendoza

And that’s really the point. This is a condition. This is always a condition. Every first overall pick is a bet. The Raiders haven’t had a franchise quarterback to speak of since Rich Gannon arrived in 2002. It’s almost a quarter century of carousing quarterbacks, seasons ruined, and fans watching other teams thrive while Las Vegas was spinning its wheels. Mendoza gives this franchise a legitimate chance to kill it.

Tom Brady, who knows a thing or two about evaluating quarterbacks, has said a lot about him. Four NFL executives told The Athletic that they view Mendoza as the unanimous top selection. PFF graded him at 91.6 for the season. His adjusted completion percentage ranked second in the nation.

Some criticisms are valid assessments. Most of this is just noise from the joint week. We live in the era of hot takes for content generated at a time when the likes of Raiders were already a foregone conclusion and the only way to get clicks was to go against the grain. Raider Nation has seen that movie before.

Mendoza is the winner. His numbers support it and his character supports it even more. For a franchise that has been waiting so long, this is not something you can talk yourself into.

Scott Gulbransen, a quintessential expert in the field of sports journalism, serves as an editor, nfl , mlb , Formula 1 … More about Scott Gulbransen

一项新的传言为拉斯维加斯突袭者队瞄准了未来的名人堂成员打开了大门，这位未来的名人堂成员将对预计 2026 年首发四分卫费尔南多·门多萨 (Fernando Mendoza) 带来巨大好处。

这将是另一个休赛期，LV突袭者队希望他们最终采取必要的行动来重新赢得足球。他们将连续第四年迎来新的主教练，他们将寻找另一位首发四分卫，在 2025 年取得 3-14 的成绩后，他们还有很多其他位置需要升级。

然而，今年他们似乎更有能力改善阵容，因为他们拥有第二大可用工资帽空间，并且拥有四月份 NFL 选秀中的第一顺位选秀权。虽然他们在自由球员市场或交易中得到谁还有待确定，但这个休赛期唯一确定的是他们将用他们的第一顺位挑选印第安纳球星和海斯曼奖杯获得者费尔南多·门多萨。

他很可能在第一周就成为中锋，并以一些相当不错的进攻武器开始他在 NFL 的第一年。近端锋布洛克·鲍尔斯（Brock Bowers）可能是这个位置上业内最好的球员，而许多业内人士仍然看到了跑卫阿什顿·让蒂（Ashton Jeanty）的巨大潜力。

不过，如果门多萨拿不到像样的拦网也没关系，上赛季LV攻略的进攻线很糟糕。他们需要在锋线上招募到更好的人才，而 NFL 历史上最伟大的截锋之一可能很快就会出现。

LV Raiders 下个月应该瞄准特伦特·威廉姆斯吗？

据 ESPN 的亚当·谢夫特 (Adam Schefter) 报道，旧金山 49 人队和未来的名人堂成员特伦特·威廉姆斯正在“努力寻找合同解决方案”，这位截锋在即将到来的赛季中的工资帽将达到 3900 万美元。这位 NFL 内部人士声称，如果他们不能很快找到共同点，他们将裁掉这位 12 届职业保龄球手。

37岁的威廉姆斯已经不再处于巅峰期，并且在过去的几个赛季中一直在与伤病作斗争。然而，去年他仍然打了16场比赛，并第12次获得职业碗荣誉。他是布洛克·珀迪成功的重要组成部分，并且可以在让门多萨在他的首个赛季中的生活变得更加轻松方面发挥关键作用。

LV Raiders 有足够的薪金空间来交易威廉姆斯。然而，如果他们等待他成为自由球员，他们应该看看他是否愿意接受类似金额的短期交易，以尽一切努力让门多萨在职业生涯中快速起步。

Jason Burgos 于 2017 年获得新闻学学位后，担任多个网站的撰稿人，其中包括 MMA Sucka … 关于 Jason Burgos 的更多信息

一項新的傳言為拉斯維加斯突襲者隊瞄準了未來的名人堂成員打開了大門，這位未來的名人堂成員將對預計 2026 年首發四分衛費爾南多·門多薩 (Fernando Mendoza) 帶來巨大好處。

這將是另一個休賽期，LV突襲者隊希望他們最終採取必要的行動來重新贏得足球。他們將連續第四年迎來新的主教練，他們將尋找另一位首發四分衛，在 2025 年取得 3-14 的成績後，他們還有很多其他位置需要升級。

然而，今年他們似乎更有能力改善陣容，因為他們擁有第二大可用工資上限空間，並擁有四月份 NFL 選秀中的第一順位選秀權。雖然他們在自由球員市場或交易中得到誰還有待確定，但這個休賽期唯一確定的是他們將用他們的第一順位挑選印第安納球星和海斯曼獎杯獲得者費爾南多·門多薩。

他很可能在第一周就成為中鋒，並以一些相當不錯的進攻武器開始他在 NFL 的第一年。近端鋒布洛克鮑爾斯（Brock Bowers）可能是這個位置上業內最好的球員，而許多業內人士仍然看到了跑衛阿什頓讓蒂（Ashton Jeanty）的巨大潛力。

不過，如果門多薩拿不到像樣的攔網也沒關係，上季LV攻略的進攻線很糟糕。他們需要在鋒線上招募到更好的人才，而 NFL 歷史上最偉大的截鋒之一可能很快就會出現。

LV Raiders 下個月應該瞄準特倫特威廉斯嗎？

根據 ESPN 的 Adam Schefter 報道，舊金山 49 人隊和未來的名人堂成員特倫特威廉斯正在“努力尋找合約解決方案”，這位截鋒在即將到來的賽季中的工資帽將達到 3900 萬美元。這位 NFL 內部人士聲稱，如果他們不能很快找到共同點，他們將裁掉這位 12 屆職業保齡球手。

37歲的威廉斯已經不再處於巔峰期，並且在過去的幾個賽季中一直在與傷病作鬥爭。然而，去年他仍然打了16場比賽，並第12次獲得職業碗榮譽。他是布洛克·珀迪成功的重要組成部分，並且可以在讓門多薩在他的首個賽季中的生活變得更加輕鬆方面發揮關鍵作用。

LV Raiders 有足夠的薪資空間來交易威廉斯。然而，如果他們等待他成為自由球員，他們應該看看他是否願意接受類似金額的短期交易，以盡一切努力讓門多薩在職業生涯中快速起步。

Jason Burgos 於 2017 年獲得新聞學學位後，擔任多個網站的撰稿人，其中包括 MMA Sucka … 關於 Jason Burgos 的更多信息

一些关于费尔南多·门多萨 (Fernando Mendoza) 的 NFL 选秀前新传闻应该会让拉斯维加斯突袭者队 (Las Vegas Raiders) 球迷兴奋不已，尽管一些人才评估者承认他有点“愚蠢”。

随着本周 NFL 联合赛的结束，联盟各地的球探将深入研究 4 月份选秀中的最佳新秀。来自联合收割机的消息肯定会引起关于第一轮比赛将如何进行的谣言和猜测。然而，有一点是确定的：突袭者队将在第一顺位选择门多萨。

拉斯维加斯新任主教练克林特·库比亚克迫切需要一名四分卫，幸运的是，对于球队来说，他们拥有四月份选秀中的第一顺位选秀权。这意味着他们可以选拔今年班上最好的信号呼叫者。那是印第安纳明星，而且还差得远。

然而，在上个月带领印第安人队夺得首个大学橄榄球冠军后，有很多言论表明门多萨是弱队中最好的四分卫。事实上，第一轮不会锁定另一个四分卫，这一事实似乎证实了这一说法。因此，如果突袭者球迷有点担心他们的球队可能会通过门多萨获得第一名，这是可以理解的。

越来越多的人认为突袭者队将获得费尔南多·门多萨未来的特许经营四分卫

周二，Essentials Sports 的 Tony Pauline 试图平息这些担忧。据这位 NFL 内部人士透露，许多 NFL 内部人士告诉他，门多萨是他们非常希望拥有的特殊天才。 “没有什么是他做不到的，”一位消息人士在谈到这位印第安纳校友的身材、手臂天赋和足球智商时说道。

其他人认为四分卫做了印第安纳对他的要求，但他在压力时刻表现出色。此外，他补充说，“几乎所有人都相信他拥有成为球队四分卫的身体素质和足球能力。”

然而，人才评估人员意识到门多萨与大多数四分卫有些不同。 “虽然有些人声称门多萨‘愚蠢’，”消息人士告诉宝琳，他们对门多萨在本赛季赢得海斯曼奖杯时如何处理全国聚光灯感到非常满意。以及他在场内和场外的领导能力。

Jason Burgos 于 2017 年获得新闻学学位后，担任多个网站的撰稿人，其中包括 MMA Sucka … 关于 Jason Burgos 的更多信息

一些關於費爾南多·門多薩 (Fernando Mendoza) 的 NFL 選秀前新傳聞應該會讓拉斯維加斯突襲者隊 (Las Vegas Raiders) 球迷興奮不已，儘管一些人才評估者承認他有點“愚蠢”。

隨著本週 NFL 聯合賽的結束，聯盟各地的球探將深入研究 4 月選秀中的最佳新秀。來自聯合收割機的消息肯定會引起關於第一輪比賽將如何進行的謠言和猜測。然而，有一點是確定的：突襲者隊將在第一順位選擇門多薩。

拉斯維加斯新任主教練克林特·庫比亞克迫切需要一名四分衛，幸運的是，對於球隊來說，他們擁有四月份選秀中的第一順位選秀權。這意味著他們可以選拔今年班上最好的信號呼叫者。那是印第安納明星，而且還差得遠。

然而，在上個月帶領印地安人隊奪得首個大學橄欖球冠軍後，有許多言論表明門多薩是弱隊中最好的四分衛。事實上，第一輪不會鎖定另一個四分衛，這一事實似乎證實了這一說法。因此，如果突襲者球迷有點擔心他們的球隊可能會透過門多薩獲得第一名，這是可以理解的。

越來越多的人認為突襲者隊將獲得費爾南多·門多薩未來的特許經營四分衛

週二，Essentials Sports 的 Tony Pauline 試圖平息這些擔憂。據這位 NFL 內部人士透露，許多 NFL 內部人士告訴他，門多薩是他們非常希望擁有的特殊天才。 「沒有什麼是他做不到的，」一位消息人士在談到這位印第安納校友的身材、手臂天賦和足球智商時說道。

其他人認為四分衛做了印第安納對他的要求，但他在壓力時刻表現出色。此外，他補充說，“幾乎所有人都相信他擁有成為球隊四分衛的身體素質和足球能力。”

然而，人才評估人員意識到門多薩與大多數四分衛有些不同。 “雖然有些人聲稱門多薩‘愚蠢’，”消息人士告訴寶琳，他們對門多薩在本賽季贏得海斯曼獎杯時如何處理全國聚光燈感到非常滿意。以及他在場內和場外的領導能力。

Jason Burgos 於 2017 年獲得新聞學學位後，擔任多個網站的撰稿人，其中包括 MMA Sucka … 關於 Jason Burgos 的更多信息

A well-known New York sports commentator offered an interesting idea this week. Is Carlos Mendoza’s replacement as New York Mets manager waiting in the wings on his staff?

Mendoza faced a difficult task when he had to replace Buck Showalter as manager of the NY Mets in 2024. However, in his first season in Queens after being the bench coach for the New York Yankees, the 46-year-old led the club on a magical trip to the NLCS. It seemed as if the team had found the person to be its captain for the next decade.

Then in 2025 the story changed completely on Mendoza. After adding Juan Soto to the roster heading into the 2024 NLCS, the NY Mets looked like one of the best teams in MLB in the first half. However, the manager could not pull the right levers and save them from a surprise relegation at the end of the season, resulting in missing the playoffs entirely.

While there were rumors that Mendoza might lose his job due to the team’s poor performance, the team instead decided to retain him but completely changed their coaching staff. One of the interesting appointments they made in October was Kai Correa. A man who has been the bench coach and interim manager for the San Francisco Giants and was a key part of the Cleveland Guardians’ staff in 2024.

Is Kai Correa ready to replace Carlos Mendoza if the NY Mets stumble early this season?

Many view Correa as an up-and-coming MLB coach, and at only 37 years old, he is a savvy kid in the industry. That’s why popular WFAN morning radio host Greg Gianotti suggested this week that Correa was specifically hired to take over for Mendoza if the NY Mets get off to a bad start in 2026.

Gianotti claimed, “I think if the Mets have a bad start, or say they’re under .500 around Memorial Day, Carlos Mendoza is going to be fired and this guy Kai Correa is going to be the manager.” “I said this when they hired this guy because he has no connection to the current Mets or Carlos Mendoza.

“He’s an analytics guy who has come up through the ranks. It’s almost as if David Stearns said, ‘Let’s get this guy on our staff now because in a few years he’s going to be a manager somewhere else.’

This is a sensible idea. And there’s no doubt that Mendoza will be on a very short leash and will have to get results with a very expensive and talented NY Mets roster.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

毫無疑問，對於費爾南多·門多薩和印第安納印第安納州印第安納州隊來說，這是一個特殊的賽季。他在比賽后期的勇氣也是超乎尋常的。然而，NFL 是一種不同的動物，門多薩的 NFL 嗡嗡聲可能有點太大了。

首先，好東西。門多薩帶領印第安納取得了 16 勝 0 負的戰績，傳球達陣 41 次並被攔截 6 次。他的傳球成功率高達 72%，平均每次傳球推進 9.3 碼。

他很優秀，值得成為首輪新秀。但是……對陣邁阿密的比賽揭示了一些東西嗎？

印第安納四分衛費爾南多·門多薩會成為球隊的改變者嗎？

門多薩很可能會前往擁有狀元籤的突襲者隊。但被選為第一併不能保證任何事情。

即使是最近，也有大量證據。賈馬庫斯·拉塞爾 (JaMarcus Russell) 於 2007 年以狀元身份加盟突襲者隊。他的職業生涯 7 勝 18 負的戰績足以說明一切。但職業生涯 18 次達陣傳球和 23 次攔截又如何呢？

還有大衛·卡爾，2002 年以狀元身份加盟德州人隊。在聯盟效力 10 年後，他的職業生涯戰績為 23 勝 56 負，講述了一個悲傷的故事。但至少他首發了79場比賽，對吧？

最近的造型是布萊斯·楊 (Bryce Young) (2023) 和卡姆·沃德 (Cam Ward) (2025)。誠然，楊的評價可能還沒有定論。但儘管他今年確實進入了季后賽，但他在三個賽季中的戰績為 14 勝 30 負。

沃德只打了一個賽季。但他14投3中，傳球成功率還不到60%。

所有這一切的關鍵在於，在 NFL 中，被選為第一順位並不能保證任何事情。因此，如果門多薩發生這種情況，並不意味著他已經到來。

四分衛費爾南多·門多薩在對陣邁阿密的比賽中表現不佳

是的，印第安納贏了。是的，門多薩的一些關鍵球和一次堅韌的跑動將永遠銘刻在大學橄欖球的傳奇中。

但大學裡的標誌性時刻在 NFL 中毫無意義。當門多薩第一次參加 NFL 比賽時，所有這些偉大的大學成就都不再重要了。

邁阿密在周一的冠軍賽中多次讓他偏離中心位置，這也沒關係。門多薩最後的表現是27投16中，推進186碼，沒有達陣傳球，這並不能激發NFL總經理的信心。

事實上，根據 NFL 選秀專家蘭斯·齊爾萊因 (Lance Zierlein) 的說法，門多薩已經發出了危險信號。

“在我的（NFL.com）選秀資料中，我給門多薩一個相當高的評分，但令我困擾的一件事是，當口袋裡的壓力開始增加時，他的鞋子有多重。只是不能在口袋裡順利滑動，一旦洩漏，他就很難逃脫。”

現在從 NFL 的角度考慮一下這個問題。如果一個人的基本素質不是口袋裡的圓滑，他就會經常被解僱。 NFL 的衝球手都是野獸，比邁阿密所表現出的要好得多。

如果門多薩被多次擒殺，他將很難上升到 NFL 的頂級水平。

據 NFL.com 報導，門多薩最大的舞台表演並沒有引起 NFL 的關注。

“但是門多薩整個晚上都在努力創造大傳球，貝克以 232 碼比 186 碼超越，完成 27 次傳球中的 16 次，”埃里克·埃德霍爾姆寫道。 “門多薩上半場表現得很高效，但隨著比賽的進行，他越來越受到攻擊，下半場的前五次傳球嘗試中有三次被颶風解僱。

“如果你期待空中煙花，你可能會失望。這遠非門多薩展示的傳球表現。他多次被擊中，迫使印第安人隊更多地依靠跑動比賽並打場上位置球。”

費爾南多·門多薩是否鎖定了突襲者隊？

湯姆·布雷迪似乎對門多薩著迷。僅此一點就可能是轉折點。

但如果門多薩去突襲者隊，他就會遇到問題。這是一個糟糕的名單。對於門多薩來說，這是一個糟糕的接收室。特雷·塔克 (Tre Tucker)、傑克·貝奇 (Jack Bech)、小唐特·桑頓 (Dont'e Thornton Jr.) 和其他無名外線球員。

好消息是他將擁有 NFL 頂級年輕近端鋒之一布洛克·鮑爾斯 (Brock Bowers)。儘管幾乎沒有被阻擋，阿什頓·讓蒂在跑衛方面還是度過了一個相當令人鼓舞的新秀賽季。

但最大的問題是可怕的進攻線。根據 Pro Football Focus 的數據，它在 NFL 中排名第 32 位。

Zoltán Buday 寫道：“雖然沒有其他球隊在 2025 年常規賽期間丟掉了超過 35 次擒殺，但拉斯維加斯的進攻線卻丟掉了 47 次擒殺。” “該裝置的 79.3 PFF 傳球阻擋效率等級在 NFL 中排名墊底。

“突襲者隊左截鋒 Stone Forsythe 以 13 次擒殺領先聯盟。右截鋒 DJ Glaze 以 10 次擒殺排名第二。”

哎呀。現在想想門多薩在那條線後面相對缺乏口袋存在和機動性。這看起來像是一場新秀年的災難。突襲者隊最好繼續讓吉諾·史密斯擔任 2026 年的首發球員，而讓門多薩在他的第一個賽季中擔任首發。

但總體而言，這支球隊遠不及 NFL 的競爭力。這使得門多薩的處境變得危險。

這是費爾南多·門多薩的最後收穫

他在一支偉大的團隊中茁壯成長。進攻線紮實。接收群體強大。不錯的跑步遊戲。防守嚴酷。偉大的——世界上偉大的——教練。

但如果 NFL 中缺少其中一些元素怎麼辦？如果他們全部失踪怎麼辦？據 atozsports.com 稱，這可能會讓他失望。

“毫無疑問，門多薩在周圍環境穩定的情況下能夠發揮作用，但這是否是一種能夠提升他人水平的人才呢？”瑞安·羅伯茨寫道。 “最佳選擇往往會被選入非常糟糕的球隊，比如突襲者隊。我不認為門多薩作為四分衛會極大地改變項目的軌跡，而更多的是強調它。

“我喜歡門多薩作為四分衛，但我只是無法達到愛他作為一個新秀的地步。只是缺少了一些東西。”

這就是門多薩的問題。

瘋狂的定義是一遍又一遍地做同樣的事情，卻期待不同的結果。

對於克利夫蘭布朗隊來說，“同樣的事情”已經成為高價賭博和後期發展項目的惡性循環，使球隊陷入亞足聯北部的泥沼。

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當我們展望 2026 年 NFL 選秀時，布朗隊坐擁一座金礦：第 6 順位和第 24 順位選秀權。

現在是總經理安德魯·貝里（Andrew Berry）和老闆吉米·哈斯拉姆（Jimmy Haslam）停止對四分衛房間的胡鬧並開始控制它的時刻。

達成共識並製定清晰的前進計劃。

布朗隊需要忘記謝德爾·桑德斯並全力以赴爭取費爾南多·門多薩

是時候打包這些選擇了，請致電 拉斯維加斯 突襲者隊，並上升到第一位真正能夠拯救這支球隊的人：印第安納州的費爾南多·門多薩。

這位海斯曼獎杯得主與布朗隊在交易和續約德肖恩·沃森方面犯下的2.3億美元錯誤形成鮮明對比。

如果說有哪個球員能把沃森的噁心味道從“笨蛋龐德”的嘴裡去掉，那就是快樂的門多薩。

讓我們誠實地對待沃森。

“通往未來的橋樑”的敘述是一個童話故事。沃森在 2026 年達到 8070 萬美元的工資上限並不是讓他首發的理由；這是沉沒成本，導致球隊陷入癱瘓。

The No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers are heading to the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship.

Spearheaded by superstar quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the Hoosiers inflicted a 56-22 defeat on the fifth-ranked Oregon Ducks in the Peach Bowl held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta.

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Mendoza’s sparkling display in which he completed 17-of-20 passing for 177 yards and five passing touchdowns only boosted his stock of being taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

Indiana’s defense set the tone, taking a lead on the first play from scrimmage with a defensive score.

From then on, it was just utter dominance from the nation’s best team, who scored seven touchdowns on 10 drives, excluding the final one as they went into victory formation.

Indiana will enter the CFP national championship game against the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes with an undefeated 15-0 record on the season.

After securing the victory, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti – who has been instrumental in turning the Hoosiers’ program around since his arrival in 2024 – gave a hilarious response to his team recording the sixth-largest win in CFP history.

“I’m really not thinking about the next game. I’m thinking about cracking open a beer,” Coach Cignetti told ESPN’s Molly McGrath.

Whilst the Canes will be vying for the championship at home at Hard Rock Stadium after their 31-27 victory over Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl, it will also be a homecoming for Mendoza as well having grown up there.

“Playing any national championship is fantastic. But it means a little bit more to me,” Mendoza said to ESPN postgame.