The 2026 NFL Draft is just over three weeks away, and Fernando Mendoza is the overwhelming favorite to be the No. 1 overall selection by the Las Vegas Raiders. More than a dozen Raiders personnel were on hand to watch Mendoza put forth an excellent pro day performance earlier this week, and the Heisman Trophy-winning QB is receiving plenty of praise heading into the draft.
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As NFL-ready as Mendoza looks, there has been plenty of discussion about whether or not he will be the Week 1 starter for Las Vegas. The Raiders signed 14-year NFL veteran Kirk Cousins earlier this week, which has many fans out there wondering what the QB competition between Mendoza and Cousins will look like.
At the NFL Combine in February, Raiders GM John Spytek stated that a rookie QB shouldn't necessarily be expected to start from Day 1. Could that mean Mendoza could be on the bench for Week 1? NFL veteran Chase Daniel doesn't think so.
Chase Daniel wants to see Fernando Mendoza start Week 1 for the Raiders
Daniels says that the move to bring in Cousins isn't for a QB competition, but to add to the character and football IQ of Las Vegas' QB room in order to help with Mendoza's development. Daniels also notes that among the intangibles that Mendoza brings to the table, he also has a much stronger arm than Cousins.
"I don't think that there's any way you draft Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall, and then Kirk Cousins plays [in Week 1]," said the former Missouri QB and 14-year NFL veteran.
Fernando Mendoza HAS To Be Day 1 Starter For The Raiders, Not Kirk Cousins pic.twitter.com/mr1G1F8M0q
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) April 3, 2026
Furthermore, Cousins is quite familiar with new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak from their time together with the Minnesota Vikings. Kubiak was Cousins' quarterbacks coach with Minnesota in 2019 and 2020, and was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2021. That relationship could aid in Cousins' effort to serve as a mentor for Mendoza
Pat McAfee loves the move, saying that he doesn't think there's been a better decision made for Fernando's future.
"I don't think there's been a better decision made for Fernando [Mendoza's] future."
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 3, 2026
—@PatMcAfeeShow on Kirk Cousins going to the Raiders 👀 pic.twitter.com/b11Ds26qKg
Cousins has seen a little bit of everything throughout his 14-year NFL career, and has 174 NFL games under his belt. In that time he has totaled 44,700 passing yards to go along with 298 touchdowns.
All in all, the move to sign Cousins is a smart one for many reasons. Not only does it give the Raiders a formidable backup should Mendoza be the starter from the jump, but Cousins' experience and football IQ can be a great benefit to Mendoza's development for 2026 and beyond.
The NFL Draft is slated to take place from April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.