Las Vegas Raiders fans have spent the offseason dreaming about what Fernando Mendoza can become. The No. 1 overall pick, a Heisman winner, a national champion — the résumé screams superstar. But according to one longtime Raiders insider, the hype may need a short delay.
Hondo Carpenter of Sports Illustrated watched Mendoza closely during organized team activities and came away with a measured take: the kid is good, but he’s not there yet.
“Fernando Mendoza has looked as good as I thought he would, but he still looks like a rookie,” Carpenter said. “There are still just things rookies learn. I don’t think he is extremely comfortable with his feet, just don’t think he is. Think he’s exponentially better, but he still looks like a rookie. So, keep your eye on that, but it’s not there yet.”
Carpenter was careful to frame his observation as a normal developmental step — not a red flag. He added, “It’s not a slam on him. Just because you won the Heisman, just because you won a national title, and just because you were the first number one overall pick does not mean you are a completed project.”
The Raiders invested the franchise’s future in Mendoza this spring, making him the centerpiece of a rebuild under head coach Klint Kubiak. And Kubiak has already set the standard publicly.
“You better be getting better every day in this league, or you’re gonna get passed up,” Kubiak told reporters via Ryan McFadden. “I hope that would be his answer, and we’ll find out if he was right or not come the fall.”
That challenge — improve daily or stagnate — applies doubly to a rookie quarterback. The Raiders also brought in Kirk Cousins during free agency, creating a veteran safety net that could allow Mendoza to develop without being thrown into the fire too soon. But the team has not confirmed a Week 1 starter, and the competition appears real.
Mendoza’s college production was undeniable: pinpoint accuracy on deep throws, poise under pressure, and an ability to extend plays. But the NFL game moves faster, defenses are smarter, and footwork — specifically comfort inside the pocket — often takes a year or two to catch up. Carpenter’s observation about Mendoza’s feet may be the most telling note. Rookie quarterbacks who struggle with footwork tend to drift into sacks or hold the ball too long. Mendoza’s talent can mask that in practice, but in a regular-season game against the Chiefs or Chargers, those small gaps close hard.
Raiders fans on social media had mixed reactions to Carpenter’s comments. Some see a realistic timeline for a future star. Others wanted Mendoza to look polished from Day 1. Both perspectives have merit — but history suggests that most rookie quarterbacks, even the elite ones, need time. Patrick Mahomes sat for a year. Josh Allen’s completion percentage as a rookie was 52.8 percent. The list goes on.
What matters now is how Mendoza responds. The physical tools are there. The mental side will come. For a franchise that has cycled through quarterbacks since Rich Gannon, patience may be the hardest thing to ask for — but it’s also the most necessary.
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