NC State captures needed series win over Miami
NC State secures vital series win over Miami, boosting NCAA hopes
Las Vegas Raiders' No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza is facing his first major challenge as an NFL quarterback, adjusting to taking snaps from under center after primarily operating from the shotgun in college.
The NFL has completed the draft, and teams have already begun rookie minicamps. The 2026 draft class faced a quick turnaround and is now getting to work in May.
The Las Vegas Raiders opened their rookie camp this week, and No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza wasted no time getting started. He’s already facing his first major quarterback challenge at the professional level.
Reports indicate that Mendoza is adjusting to taking snaps from under center again. While he has done it before, his college career rarely required it.
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During the 2025 season at Indiana, Mendoza took just 3% of his snaps from under center and operated almost exclusively out of the shotgun.
This trend isn’t unusual. Many high school and college offenses rely heavily on the shotgun. However, head coach Klint Kubiak runs a more balanced system.
In 2025, Kubiak’s Seattle Seahawks offense took most of its snaps from under center. The Raiders will likely follow a similar approach in 2026.
That said, Kubiak may tailor the offense early on to support Mendoza’s development. If any quarterback can make this transition smoothly, it’s Mendoza.
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Mendoza has built a reputation as a highly coachable quarterback. He has adapted to multiple offensive systems throughout his college career. At Indiana, he gained experience with a variety of passing concepts commonly used in the NFL.
Fernando Mendoza is adjusting to taking snaps from under center, a significant change from his college experience where he rarely did so.
During the 2025 season at Indiana, Mendoza took just 3% of his snaps from under center.
The Las Vegas Raiders opened their rookie camp this week in May.
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He should be able to learn Kubiak’s system. The bigger question is when he will take the field and demonstrate his progress as a rookie.
Kubiak has made it clear that the best quarterback coming out of training camp and the preseason will earn the starting job. Whether that’s Mendoza or veteran Kirk Cousins remains to be seen.
In today’s NFL, quarterbacks must be able to operate from under center. Mendoza’s draft status also suggests he will play sooner rather than later.
Teams will begin mandatory minicamps in late May and early June, giving Mendoza ample time to adjust to Kubiak’s offensive system—both under center and within the playbook.