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Fernando Mendoza Dazzles at Indiana Pro Day as Las Vegas Raiders Zero In on No. 1 Pick
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- Fernando Mendoza Dazzles at Indiana Pro Day as Las Vegas Raiders Zero In on No. 1 Pick
The clock is running out.
With the NFL Draft less than three weeks away, the Las Vegas Raiders are zeroing in on their choice at No. 1 overall — and all signs point to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
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Mendoza and the Hoosiers held their Pro Day on Wednesday. Here's what scouts saw.
Also Read:: Mike Mayock on Kirk Cousins Raiders Signing: 'The Ideal Landing Spot'
Fernando Mendoza Puts on a Show
Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Mendoza, who guided Indiana to an undefeated 16-0 record and a national championship three months ago, completed 53 of 56 passes.
With his Hoosiers receivers working to impress scouts, Mendoza had just two drops. All 56 attempts came in a 20-minute window with two brief breaks, with routes ranging across the full playbook and arm-strength tests pushing 50 to 60 yards downfield.
The reigning Heisman Trophy winner threw from the pistol, the shotgun, on the run and to both sides of the field — hitting the flat, over the middle and on back-shoulder throws along the sideline.
What set this Pro Day apart: Mendoza called out each receiver's name and the intended route before every snap, essentially running the session like a huddle. Scouts knew exactly what was coming and could evaluate accordingly.
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"This is the first time I've ever seen that," ESPN analyst Louis Riddick said on SportsCenter. "I'm not saying that's all of a sudden something where everybody's going to go, 'Whoa, he's easily the No. 1 pick because he's announcing the guy's name and route.' What I am saying is these are all data points along the way that, when you're talking about drafting a quarterback first overall and making him the leader of your organization, these are some of the things you want to see."
Also read: Raiders Hire Mike Sullivan as Quarterbacks Coach to Develop Fernando Mendoza
How a Rookie QB Impacts Raiders Roster & Franchise
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Multiple members of the Raiders organization attended Indiana's Pro Day, including head coach Klint Kubiak.
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Despite signing Kirk Cousins on Thursday , Las Vegas is still searching for its quarterback of the future. The situation mirrors where Cousins was last season in Atlanta , when the Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr. with a veteran starter already in place.
Kubiak believes having a seasoned veteran running the offense accelerates a rookie quarterback's development.
"I think in a perfect world, he's watching a mature adult go and run the offense and run the team," the first-year Raiders head coach said Tuesday at the league meetings in Arizona . "You'd rather have him learn before he gets in the game. At the end of the day, you're bringing in an individual — drafting a guy that is mature enough to handle some adversity, whether it's him starting the first game or the first game of year two."
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The model isn't new. Aaron Rodgers learned behind Brett Favre in Green Bay. Steve Young sat behind Joe Montana in San Francisco . The Raiders have their own version of that mentorship pipeline in mind.
That's where Tom Brady comes in. As a minority owner and organizational advisor, Brady figures to play a significant role in shaping whoever Las Vegas takes with the No. 1 pick.
"In all aspects of my job, I'm reaching out to him," Kubiak said. "What I've asked him is to give me the advice I really don't want to hear. It's OK to hurt my feelings. I have all the confidence we're going to keep building that relationship."
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