Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza is already held in high regard by his fellow rookies ahead of his inaugural NFL season.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft reacted to other incoming first-year players choosing him for the “Most Aura” superlative.
“I have most aura? Thank you guys,” Mendoza said (0:24 mark). “I feel like I have the least aura. I feel like everyone thinks I’m a cornball. There we go, it’s the most aura. That’s something I never thought I’d get.”
“That means a lot, that’s actually crazy,” he added.
Mendoza is coming off a stellar junior season at Indiana, helping his team capture a national championship and finish with a perfect 16-0 record. He earned Heisman Trophy honors for his efforts.
In 16 games, Mendoza completed 72.0 percent of his passes for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns compared to a mere six interceptions. He also made plays with his legs, rushing for 276 yards and seven scores.
Mendoza will now look to cement himself as Las Vegas’ long-term answer under center after the team compiled a 7-27 record over the past two years combined.
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