Raiders news: Fernando Mendoza opens up on Kirk Cousins joining Raiders

Barring a massive surprise, it looks like Fernando Mendoza will be the Las Vegas Raiders’ newest quarterback after the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday night. However, he won’t be the only new quarterback breaking training camp with the Raiders this season, as the team also added Kirk Cousins in the offseason. Mendoza is far from a finished product despite his success at Indiana, and the 2026 Heisman Trophy winner is seeing Cousins as much a mentor as a competitor, according to Yahoo Sports Daily.

“I saw him at a top 30 visit. He’s a great guy, a guy that I’ve been able to look up to. Whether it’s through his game, whether because he’s a man of God and faith, and whether it’s the way that he just handles his experience. I think he would be a great guy to learn from because he had so much success on and off the field throughout his career,” Mendoza told the show’s co-hosts, Jason Fitz and Caroline Fenton.

Unsurprisingly, Mendoza is seeing the positive side of Cousins joining the Raiders. Additionally, the move to give Mendoza a proven mentor after Cousins’ time with Michael Penix Jr in Atlanta is a shrewd one by the Raiders’ organization.

“He’s been a great teammate and been a great leader of men and offenses,” Mendoza continued. “So I’m looking forward to take the nuggets that I can from him and whatever he’s willing to share, I will take and emulate in my game.”

If the Raiders can get a Cousins career out of Fernando Mendoza, they’ll be happy with taking him first overall. Cousins may not have a championship, but he has been able to sustain success for a long time, which is something the Raiders’ organization needs.

The post Raiders news: Fernando Mendoza opens up on Kirk Cousins joining Raiders appeared first on ClutchPoints.