Fernando Mendoza is already bringing renewed hope to Las Vegas Raiders fans, but will he have enough to end a certain dry spell for NFL rookie quarterbacks?
How many games in which Mendoza starts for the Raiders is anyone’s guess at this juncture. Las Vegas did bring in Kirk Cousins this offseason and there are still a litany of decisions that new head coach Klint Kubiak has to make regarding the roster such as depth, play calling, and everything in between. In a world where Mendoza takes the reins relatively quickly as a rookie, we could see him be catapulted into the important Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation.
Fernando Mendoza is starting from scratch with the Raiders…
Mendoza filled his trophy case with many accolades from his time at Indiana, but in the NFL, that now means absolutely nothing. Raider Nation is begging the cosmos, hoping that Mendoza pans out as the quarterback position has been a head-scratching void for years now. Let’s be honest, it’s been a clown show with a revolving door that once even featured Gardner Minshew. Anyway, back to the point.
No quarterback has won this prestigious award since 2019, when Kyler Murray did it. Ironically, he was also the No. 1 pick that year. To win it, Mendoza will have plenty of competition from the likes of tailback Jeremiyah Love, who looks to resurrect the Arizona Cardinals behind his impressive running prowess.
Mendoza, who sports the Heisman Trophy, joins some notable company in that regard; Cam Newton, Jameis Winston, and Joe Burrow all won the honor along with leading their squads to the national title.
Look, we all know about Mendoza’s pedigree. He went from being a quarterback who no major program wanted to touch, to leading Indiana to an undefeated season. The moxie just oozes out of his pores. If his collegiate career translates to a smooth transition as a professional, maybe Mendoza can indeed end the dry spell for incoming rookie signal-callers.
*Top Photo: Imagn Images