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Fernando Mendoza will get his first NFL snaps tonight when his Las Vegas Raiders take on the Arizona Cardinals in preseason. It's the Heisman Trophy winner's first game since leading the Indiana Hoosiers past the Miami Hurricanes in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship.
First-year coach Klint Kubiak is giving Mendoza quite an opportunity to show off his skills tonight. While Mendoza won't start, with veteran Kirk Cousins getting that nod, Mendoza is reportedly expected to get "plenty of reps." Kubiak told ESPN Mendoza may also get some reps with the first-team offense, though he didn't specify exactly how much.
Mendoza, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, got a full practice with the starters Saturday after Kubiak held Cousins out for his role in an on-field altercation with defensive end Maxx Crosby.
After starting his college career at California, Mendoza had a magical 2025 season with Indiana . He led the Hoosiers to a perfect record while throwing for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns to only six interceptions.
The Raiders kick off their preseason against the Carindals tonight at 8 p.m. ET. It's the unofficial start of the Mendoza era in Vegas.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: What to expect from Fernando Mendoza's NFL preseason debut
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