Whatever the original plan was for Fernando Mendoza this season, the Vikings’ dire need for a quarterback helped force the Raiders’ hand.
Kirk Cousins was traded to Minnesota on Tuesday, reuniting him with Kevin O’Connell and a Vikings team that has Super Bowl aspirations if they can only get the quarterback position right.
The Raiders now get to see what they have in their #1 overall pick. Although I’m sure they already have a pretty good idea.
Either way, if you don’t want to wait until Sunday to find out, I’ve re-posted my pre-draft breakdown of Mendoza below.
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Fernando Mendoza Pre-Draft Breakdown
Heisman Trophy Winner. National Champ. 6’5.” Tough. Says all the right things. Appears to be a gigantic football nerd.
There’s not much to dislike about Fernando Mendoza.
Most importantly, the way he plays on the field translates to being a consistent quarterback at the NFL level. He’s accurate. He processes quickly. He plays with timing. He makes good decisions. He keeps the offense on schedule.
The Raiders, who hold the #1 overall pick, have been looking for a quarterback like this to lead their team for the longest time. It would be a huge shock if his name was not called to kick off the draft.
Quick Release, Accurate Thrower
The first thing that stands out about Mendoza is that he’s got a quick release and a compact throwing motion. There aren’t a lot of moving parts which makes it easier for him to replicate his mechanics. And that leads to better accuracy as a thrower:
He doesn’t have a cannon for an arm like you’ll often see in a #1 overall pick. But he’s got enough juice to make every throw he’ll need to on a regular basis at the NFL Level:
Good Ball Placement
Mendoza is a very accurate thrower as you could see on the examples above, but his ball placement is especially impressive. Remember, ball placement is different than accuracy. It goes beyond accuracy.
It’s more about making the right type of throw based on the coverage, the defenders in the area, and the leverage of the defender who is covering the receiver you’re targeting.
And Mendoza does this consistently.
You could see it on a throw like this where Mendoza slowed his receiver down and actually put the ball on his back hip to keep him away from the awaiting defender: