The Las Vegas Raiders have a clear game plan for how they want to handle the quarterback position. Alongside drafting Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, they also brought in Kirk Cousins as a legitimate veteran presence.
Now, they want to let the former Minnesota Vikings star run the offense as the rookie gets his feet under him. But for the fan base, the preseason is going to give them a great insight into how Mendoza plays under center. Here is how he performed in the first preseason game of the year.
Fernando Mendoza Leaves a Good First Impression
Spending one season with the Indiana Hoosiers, Mendoza put together a spectacular campaign. Winning the Heisman Trophy, he led the program to the college football national championship, thereby cementing his standing as the first overall pick.
In his final college season, Mendoza threw for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions while completing 72.0% of his throws. According to PFN’s CFB QB Impact Metric, he posted an impact score of 93.3, ranking second in the country.
But the Raiders, under new head coach Klint Kubiak, want to take a patient approach with the first-year quarterback. As a result, his transition to the starting lineup is going to be more gradual at a later point in the season.
Fernando Mendoza threading the needle!
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/PC9UPZvRxA
— NFL (@NFL) August 14, 2026
However, even as he sits behind Cousins on the depth chart, Mendoza is going to have a ton of opportunities during the preseason.
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator
In their first preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals, Kubiak confirmed that the former California product would get a lot of reps.
Only Fernando Mendoza would clap after taking this hit in his first NFL preseason game. 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/1bat6Ez6ND
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) August 14, 2026
That was the case, as the Raiders quickly brought him in after an opening drive touchdown by the four-time Pro Bowler. Mendoza, too, had a solid showing all-around. With a couple of tight window throws and a touchdown to his name, there were a lot of positives to take away from his performance.
FERNANDO MENDOZA FIRST RAIDERS TD
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/G8F3FQt60C
— NFL (@NFL) August 14, 2026
He finished the game completing 10 of 16 passes for 97 passing yards and the lone touchdown to Jack Bech. Even though his athleticism and running ability have drawn rave reviews, they weren’t a featured part of the offense on the night.
Getting just 2 carries for 6 yards on the ground, the focus seemed to be on the passing game and his decision-making through the air. Early in the fourth quarter, Kubiak chose to bring in his third-string quarterback, Aidan O’Connell, ending Mendoza’s night.
His performance wasn’t enough for the Raiders to secure a victory in the preseason. But it did showcase a ton of potential and gave the fanbase optimism about the franchise’s future. It remains to be seen if this performance fast-tracks his route to the starting lineup.
