After completing the quarterback trifecta of winning the Heisman Trophy, winning a National Championship, and becoming a No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick in the same year, Fernando Mendoza is ready to take the NFL by storm.
Mendoza is set to join a Las Vegas Raiders franchise that is entering a new era under head coach Klint Kubiak. The Raiders have a proud football history, but have fallen on tough times in recent seasons. Mendoza is looking to change that.
The Raiders have put together a strong offseason that has seen their roster improve in multiple areas. Las Vegas shored up its defense by signing LB Quay Walker, LB Nakobe Dean, DE Kwity Paye, CB Eric Stokes, and DE Malcolm Koonce and trading for CB Taron Johnson. They also added key offensive pieces in C Tyler Linderbaum, WR Jalen Nailor, and 14-year NFL veteran QB Kirk Cousins. Now that they've officially added Mendoza, the Raiders seem poised for a turnaround over the next several seasons.
AFC West teams are taking notice, and the Kansas City Chiefs made an aggressive first round trade in order to select a potential Mendoza neutralizer.
Chiefs trade up for Mansoor Delane as a counter to the Raiders getting Fernando Mendoza
The Chiefs originally held the No. 9 overall pick, but quickly made a move to jump up to the No. 6 overall spot. In the first trade of the draft, Kansas City sent the No. 9, No. 74 and No. 148 overall picks to the Cleveland Browns for pick No. 6. They chose to prioritize defense, as they selected LSU CB Mansoor Delane with the 6th pick.
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The Chiefs were in need of secondary help after trading two-time All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Rams and letting Jaylen Watson walk in free agency. In addition to addressing a serious need, the Chiefs' selection of Delane shows that they want to counter Las Vegas' move with a player who could give Mendoza some resistance in the years to come.
Delane emerged into one of the best cornerbacks in the country this past season, and became just the fourth defensive back in LSU history to be selected as an unanimous All-American. A true lock-down corner, Delane allowed just 13 catches for 147 yards over the course of 11 games and 358 pass coverage snaps this past season. He also totaled 45 tackles and led the SEC in passes defended (13) and passes broken up (11).
He is now bringing his elite skill set to Kansas City, which sets the table for some epic battles with Mendoza. Both players figure to get every opportunity to earn a starting role, and both are capable of making an immediate impact on the NFL stage.
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