As Phase 3 of the offseason begins for the Las Vegas Raiders, we enter an important week of OTAs for rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
There’s still no contact in free sessions, but with teams allowed to run 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 practices, we’re getting closer to actual practices. For the No. 1 overall pick, learning a new offense and some technical aspects like working under center and the action game, these reps could shape how prepared he is for Year 1.
So far, the coaching staff has been impressed with the rookies’ approach, especially the mental aspects, which have largely characterized the early part of offseason work.
“He’s somebody who wants to know the why of everything, the story behind everything,” first-time offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko said of Mendoza, via the team’s official website. “What are we calling, but why are we calling it?”
“He’s really just a sponge who wants to know everything. So it’s a lot of fun working with a quarterback like that because he comes in as a blank slate in this offense – never been in this offense before – and just asks a ton of questions.”