The 1 Fernando Mendoza trait that’s impressing Raiders teammates, coaches in Year 1

The Las Vegas Raiders are gearing up for the upcoming 2026 NFL season, currently taking part in their preseason slate. Number one overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza fell back to Earth last week with a pick-six against the Houston Texans, but he’s still shown plenty to be encouraged about since being drafted out of Indiana.

Recently, Raiders offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko spoke on what has impressed the team most about Mendoza so far during his brief time in Las Vegas.

“I think his approach to his preparation is something that stands out about him. … He tries to not leave a stone unturned, he’s a master of his craftt,” he said, per Levi Edwards of the Raiders on X, formerly Twitter.

Mendoza’s work ethic and attention to detail have been lauded dating back to his days at Indiana, where he won the Heisman Trophy and guided the Hoosiers to a national championship this past season.

Some have wondered whether or not the Raiders might consider giving Mendoza the starting job at the beginning of the season, but as of now, veteran Kirk Cousins seems to be in line for the role.

Still, there is no doubt that the Raiders view Mendoza as their primary building block moving forward, and it’s only a matter of time before he ultimately ends up under center in Las Vegas.

While his earnest personality and mannerisms have gotten some attention, Mendoza has shown intense competitive fire throughout his football career thus far, and clearly, that’s rubbing off well on his teammates and coaches.

In any case, the Raiders have one more preseason game to get through before kicking off their regular season on September 13 against the Miami Dolphins at home.

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