Ryan McFadden of ESPN NFL Nation covers the Las Vegas Raiders. Fernando Mendoza, a rookie quarterback of Hispanic descent, was drafted No. 1 in April 2026. Mendoza draws inspiration from trailblazers Tom Flores and Jim Plunkett, the first Hispanic quarterback and coach to win a Super Bowl.
Plunkett, a Mexican American, won the Heisman Trophy at Stanford before being drafted No. 1 by the New England Patriots. Simultaneously, Flores and Plunkett became the first Hispanic coach and quarterback to win a Super Bowl, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XV. Mendoza understands the weight of representing Hispanic players.
Should he start, he would join Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers as one of the only starting Hispanic quarterbacks in the NFL. Mendoza is viewed as a long-term solution for the Raiders' quarterback position, contrasting with the short-term solution of Kirk Cousins. Fernando Paredes, founder of a Raiders fan club in Mexico, calls Mendoza's presence a dream.
Mendoza embraces the pressure and privilege of being a beacon of hope for the Hispanic community, aiming to bring relevance back to the franchise.
Source: ESPN NFL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing