Fernando Mendoza dominates the Indiana Pro Day with the Raiders watching

BLOOMINGTON, IN – The Raiders were careful not to prematurely anoint Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza as the first overall pick in next month’s draft.

As general manager John Spytek said this week at the NFL owners meetings, the club will let their draft evaluation process go to the finish line, wherever that takes them.

Even if that means using someone else’s first choice. Or maybe even trade it.

“It’s not anointing,” Spytek insisted.

Then came Mendoza’s Indiana pro day on Wednesday, and let’s just say the induction can now officially begin.

Let’s start with the fact that the Raiders sent an army of personnel managers to Bloomington to watch their soon-to-be quarterback, with Spytek joined by Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak, director of scouting Brandon Yeargan, assistant general manager Brian Stark, vice president of player personnel Brandon Hunt, vice president of football operations and team coach Andrew Jackoor Jackson Sullivan.

A large group of coaches and administrators were on hand to take a final look at Mendoza and the 23 Indiana teammates who joined him at John Mellencamp Pavilion.

Among them were wide receivers Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt and linebacker D’Angelo Ponds, all of whom are expected to be selected between the first and third rounds.

No, the attackers were sending a clear message to Mendoza: He is our man. And from this point forward, every corner of this organization is behind you.

That powerful message was reiterated Wednesday evening when Mendoza met privately with his newest members of the Raiders family.

They will meet again in a few weeks when Mendoza visits Las Vegas, where the new face of the franchise will have time to face the entire organization.

But if that wasn’t enough, Mendoza sealed the deal by completing 53 of 56 pass rushes in a long day that left even the worst talent scouts picking their jaws.

“Wow, that was amazing,” the NFL executive said.

Two of Mendoza’s incompletions were drops by his receivers, and the other was an overthrow on a ball that traveled more than 60 yards in the air and just missed the outstretched arms of his receiver.

Mendoza was mechanical in the way he navigated the order, calling out teammates before the snap and delivering direct strikes on nearly every throw he made.

Impressively, he only took two blink breaks, quickly drinking water before returning to work. Showing no signs of fatigue, he put an exclamation point on it all with two touchdown passes of over 60 yards.

“It’s not just accuracy and speed,” marveled an NFL personnel executive. “It was the way he led his receivers, it was the fundamentals, it was his command. It’s very impressive.”

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If the Raiders had lingering doubts about what to do with the overall pick, Mendoza put them all to rest Wednesday.

As the reigning Heisman Trophy champion and national champion and top draft pick, he didn’t even have to show up at Indiana’s pro day, let alone pitch. But for his program and the teammates who helped him become the best quarterback in the country, he wanted to be there for them one last time.

“The main goal of today was to serve my teammates, and I think I was able to do that,” said Mendoza. “To be able to put them in a place where they were able to make plays, show what they have found, and I am very happy for them in the future.”

As for him, he humiliated Wednesday.

“I’m trying to be the best quarterback I can be in September, rather than being here in April,” Mendoza said.

All this made his performance very impressive. On a day set aside for his Indiana teammates to shine and, hopefully, elevate their undrafted status, it was Mendoza who stood the longest.

It was a powerful reminder of what he meant to the Hoosiers’ historic run, but also a clear message to the Raiders not to overthink things.

But he did it so smoothly, effectively, and naturally, you wouldn’t even know he was being tested.

“I can’t say that it’s the idea of ​​trying to be the best pick, I’m trying to be the best I can be,” said Mendoza. “And in that respect, whichever team picks me, you only need one team to believe in you, whether you’re the first pick, whether you’re the last pick, or whatever.”

It’s a done deal now. Mendoza was selected by the Raiders.

The only question now is whether he will be their opening day starter.

“I think you don’t want him to start on day one,” Kubiak said. “You’d like him to be able to read after someone. That’s in a perfect world.”

But as Kubiak and many others have learned over the years, a perfect world rarely exists in the NFL.

“Sometimes they have to play from day one, and it’s our job as a coach to get them ready to go,” Kubiak said.

For all intents and purposes, the Raiders began the process of getting Mendoza ready to start on day one on Wednesday.

The soon-to-be quarterback left no doubt about that.