Ever since the Las Vegas Raiders made Fernando Mendoza the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, expectations have climbed with every passing week.
Some fans are already calling for him to be the team’s Week 1 starter, while others have gone as far as labeling him the future face of the franchise before he has taken a regular-season snap. Despite all the excitement surrounding him, Mendoza is not getting caught up in the growing hype.
Fernando Mendoza is focused on getting better and not the hype built around him
Speaking with reporters during a recent Raiders media session, Mendoza made it clear that he is far more concerned with putting in the work than buying into the hype surrounding him.
“There is fanfare and there is excitement, and I try to do that by controlling the controllables because expectations are all in the future tense,” Mendoza said. “If I stay in the present tense, I know that I will be able to get there one day in the future, but worrying about the future is not going to be any good right now.”
That is a wise, level-headed perspective coming from a player stepping into one of the most stressful, difficult spots in sports. Many rookie quarterbacks love the attention or talk up the team to try and fire up a fan base, but Mendoza appears to be going in the other direction.
Instead of talking about titles or accolades, he is focused on doing the little things that give him the best opportunity to succeed. That approach should register well with the Raiders coaching staff as he tries to earn his playing time. The hype is not going to disappear, but Mendoza’s message indicates he knows the only way to build confidence inside the facility begins long before it is awarded from the outside.
Fernando Mendoza is determined to let his play do the talking
Whether Mendoza opens his career as the Raiders starter or develops for a season behind veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, his approach already bodes well for a strong first impression.
While the enthusiasm over the top pick won’t disappear, neither will the grind needed to match the lofty expectations Mendoza will carry. If the young man can maintain the talent and poise that he has demonstrated during the offseason, he can eventually bring the Raiders faithful the satisfaction they’ve craved for some time now.
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