Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek might have avoided talking directly about quarterback Fernando Mendoza, but new coach Klint Kubiak didn’t hesitate when asked about the prospective No. 1 pick.
“Excited to continue learning about him and it’s not just me, it’s our entire coaching staff,” Kubiak said of Mendoza, via the team’s official website. “I want all of our coaches to be involved, especially at that position. I want everyone’s input, but obviously he’s been successful. He had a lot of success last year.
“He won a national championship and that’s what you want. You want a winner.”
Mendoza led Indiana to its first national championship, 16-0. The QB displayed a number of skills at the NFL level, from impressive shoulder capacity to excellent accuracy to toughness and a willingness to stand up under pressure. Arguably, the Hoosier heaver has the intangible leadership qualities that NFL scouts love in a starting quarterback.
Unless something dramatic happens in the next two months, Mendoza will be headed to the Raiders. Kubiak’s willingness to discuss the quarterback’s talent makes that even more obvious.
The Raiders haven’t won a playoff game since the 2002 season. If they’re going to end this run, along with the cycle of coaching chaos they’ve been stuck in, job No. 1 to get Kubiak as a winning quarterback. However, it’s far from the only hole on a roster full of needs entering free agency and the draft.
Spytek, in discussing how he might convince Maxx Crosby to stick with a club that is constantly struggling, pointed to the quick turnarounds teams can achieve. Kubiak echoed that thought, but knows perennial winners don’t take shortcuts.
“I think we’re all on the same page there, but we also understand that the NFL is about, ‘What have you done for me today?'” Kubiak said Wednesday, via the Las Vegas Review-Journal . “So yeah, we’ve got a long way to go.
“However, we have to make sure that we set out to succeed as well. The expectation is not to just slowly get to this. In a perfect world, you want to win and you want to win now.”
The most recent quick turnarounds — the 2025 New England Patriots, the 2024 Washington Commanders — had one very obvious trait in common: They got the quarterback. The Raiders hope to join that group.
NOTE NOTE: NFL Network and NFL+ will have live coverage of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine beginning on February 26.