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Fernando Mendoza may be the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but the Las Vegas Raiders don’t plan to have him at center in Week 1.
At least that’s the hope of new head coach Klint Kubiak, who said so in March.
“You wish he could learn behind someone. It’s in a perfect world,” Kubiak said at the time at the NFL Scouting Combine.
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Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, selected as the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders, attends a news conference at Raiders headquarters in Henderson, Nevada, April 24, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
But when could Mendoza make his NFL debut? ESPN’s Adam Schefter thinks it could happen much later than fans expected, especially given how brutal the games have been in the middle of the season.
“I think they’ll want Kirk Cousins to start the season,” Schefter said on his podcast. “And if you want to turn to Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick, at some point, I don’t know if you’re going to want to do that in November when you have to go play four games away.”
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The Raiders’ November schedule begins with the New York Jets on the road, followed by a trip to San Francisco to face the 49ers. Next up, it’s a home game at Allegiant Stadium, but against the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks.
Finally, the Raiders will play their divisional matchup with the Denver Broncos on the road before traveling to Cleveland to face the Browns.
“Now is not the ideal time to check out your rookie quarterback if you haven’t already. So we could see Kirk Cousins until about December 1st,” Schefter added.
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, selected as the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders, poses with Raiders general manager John Spytek and head coach Klint Kubiak during a news conference in Henderson, Nevada, April 24, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
After the Browns game, the Raiders have their bye week before three straight home games against the Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos and Tennessee Titans, respectively. They finish the season on the road with the Arizona Cardinals in Week 17 and the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 18.
Mendoza, a national champion and Heisman Trophy winner for the Indiana Hoosiers this past collegiate season, will be in the spotlight in Las Vegas given his draft stock and how the franchise views him as its quarterback of the future.
But Cousins’ signing, along with Kubiak’s statement, indicates there won’t necessarily be an open quarterback competition to begin training camp this summer.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza performs a drill during a rookie minicamp at the Intermountain Health Performance Center in Henderson, Nevada, May 2, 2026. (Candice Ward/Imagn Images)
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Of course, that could change. But Kubiak hopes his ideal world, where Cousins starts and Mendoza learns and develops behind a tested veteran quarterback, is now the direction for the Raiders.
Time will surely tell when Mendoza takes over at center, but maybe Schefter is right in looking at the calendar and trying to determine when his NFL debut will be for him.
