Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s preseason debut was highly anticipated, and he didn’t disappoint in the affair. Mendoza was one of the brightest spots for the Raiders in their 27-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, and played up to expectations after getting his feet under him.
NFL.com’s Chad Reuter gave Mendoza a “B+” for his performance in the Raiders’ loss.
“The 22-year-old quarterback threw the ball like a future NFL starter when calmly operating, though, threading the needle over the middle for 19 yards and hitting a back-side route for 14 yards later on. The 2025 Heisman Trophy winner's first NFL touchdown was an expertly thrown low pass to WR Jack Bech; he nearly had another TD on his final pass of the night, accurately throwing over a defender in the end zone, but 5-foot-8 receiver Deven Thompkinswas unable to make the play.”
Despite receiving positive marks, other rookie were given higher marks than Mendoza for their preseason Week 1 performances. Los Angeles Rams QB Ty Simpson received an “A” after completing 21-25 passes for 190 passing yards and two touchdowns in a 20-12 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, while San Francisco 49ers wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling received an “A-“ after logging seven receptions for 63 receiving yards in a 19-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
Mendoza completed 10-16 passes for 97 yards and a passing touchdown. The Indiana product got into a groove after his first couple of throws, as he showed the ability to convert on third down, execute out of play action, and make decisive reads.
The downsides to his performance were few and far between, and nothing that likely was not caused by rookie jitters, given it was his first time on an NFL field, making it a standout debut for this year’s No. 1 overall pick in and of itself.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Did Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza ace preseason debut vs. Cardinals?