Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek might have avoided speaking directly about quarterback Fernando Mendoza, but new coach Klint Kubiak had no such hesitations when asked about the presumptive No. 1 overall pick.
"Excited to keep learning about him, and it's not just me, it's our entire coaching staff," Kubiak said Wednesday of Mendoza, . "I want all of our coaches to get involved, especially at that position. I want everybody's input, but obviously, he's been successful. He had a lot of success last year.
"He won a national championship, and that's what you want. You want a winner."
Mendoza led Indiana to its first national title in 2025, going 16-0. The QB showed an array of NFL-level skills, from an impressive back-shoulder ability to excellent accuracy to toughness and a willingness to stand in under pressure. By every account, the Hoosier heaver has the intangible leadership traits NFL scouts love in a starting quarterback.
Unless something dramatic happens over the next two months, Mendoza will be headed to the Raiders come April's draft. Kubiak's willingness to directly discuss the quarterback's skills makes that even more obvious. However, the coach added that he's exploring every avenue to building his QB room, noting that he isn't closing the door on keeping Geno Smith as a bridge to the future.
"(We're) looking at all options right now," Kubiak said. "Watching Geno play last year, (I'm) obviously pretty familiar with what he had done before; putting all on the table right now, trying to see every possible avenue we can go next year at quarterback, and he's definitely one of those options."
The Raiders haven't won a playoff game since the 2002 season. If they're to end that run, along with the coaching chaos cycle they've been stuck in, getting Kubiak a winning quarterback is job No. 1. However, it's far from the only hole on a roster littered with needs entering free agency and the draft.
Spytek, in discussing how he could convince Maxx Crosby to stick with a perpetually struggling club, pointed out the quick turnarounds teams can achieve. Kubiak echoed that thought but knows that perennial winners don't take shortcuts.
"I think we're all on the same page there, but we also understand the NFL is about, 'What have you done for me today?'" Kubiak said Wednesday, "So yes, we have a long way to go.
"However, we have to make sure we set ourselves up for success, too. The expectation is not to just kind of get to this thing slowly. In a perfect world, you want to win and you want to win now."
The most recent quick turnarounds -- 2025 New England Patriots, 2024 Washington Commanders -- had one very obvious trait in common: They nailed their quarterback selection. The Raiders hope to join that group.
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