College coach sends nine-word Fernando Mendoza warning to Raiders they can't ignore

College coach sends nine-word Fernando Mendoza warning to Raiders they can't ignore originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft wasn’t a surprise.

Fernando Mendoza was bound to be a Las Vegas Raiders since finishing his collegiate career with a national championship and Heisman Trophy, and it became official on Apr. 23. While Kirk Cousins may start the 2026-27 season as quarterback No. 1, Mendoza is undoubtedly the Raiders’ franchise signal-caller.

That said, a college coach recently sent the Raiders a nine-word warning about Mendoza’s back-shoulder throws that they can’t ignore.

“In the NFL, those throws are getting picked off,” the coach stated, according to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg.

For clarity, the coach named in Rittenberg’s recent piece competed against Fendoza when he was a member of the California Golden Bears in the ACC.  Although Mendoza was a polished, NFL-ready QB with Indiana, he still displayed the occasional tendency to favor back-shoulder throws to his most trustworthy receivers (Omar Cooper Jr, and Elija Sarratt).