Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports that Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza “has looked the part.”
Breer believes Mendoza is proving the Raiders’ scouting reports right. The young quarterback is “living in the building as a tireless, football-obsessed worker.” Although he is only working with the second team right now, Breer thinks Mendoza has a chance to earn first-team reps over the next couple of weeks. Breer celebrates Mendoza’s “unteachable traits,” noting his ability to monitor the pass rush and pass catchers simultaneously, even when all five eligibles are out running routes, and his ability to bounce back from bad plays. That said, Mendoza is still learning to play from under center and “with his back to the ball,” but the early signs are “good.” He believes Kirk Cousins “is still clearly the best guy at running coach Klint Kubiak’s offense.” Mendoza’s odds of starting this season are still unknown, but promising No. 1 overall picks don’t sit for long.
