Fernando Mendoza has arrived in Las Vegas for the start of his NFL career after the Raiders took him with the No. 1 pick on Thursday night.
The 22-year-old quarterback touched down in Nevada on Friday having spent draft night celebrating with his family and friends at home in Coral Gables, Florida.
Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner and national champion, looked delighted as he posed with his No. 15 jersey alongside Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak and general manager John Spytek.
His parents, Fernando Sr. and Elsa, and brothers, Alberto and Max, accompanied him on the trip to Las Vegas before he spoke to reporters in a press conference.
Once again there was no sign of Tom Brady being in attendance, despite the iconic seven-time Super Bowl winner being a minority owner of the Raiders.
Wearing a grey suit and grey tie, Mendoza slipped on a Raiders cap for the special occasion. A number of Raiders executives and legends were in attendance to watch Mendoza speak.
Fernando Mendoza poses with Klint Kubiak and John Spytek after arriving in Las Vegas
The quarterback took questions from reporters after flying in from Florida on Friday
Former Raiders star Marcus Allen talks with Mendoza’s parents, Fernando Sr. and Elsa
His younger brother, Max, briefly stole the spotlight as he jumped in the hot seat and prepared to take questions before Mendoza took the microphone and revealed he’s already heard from some of his new teammates.
‘This morning and last night I was able to get a text from a couple of guys like Maxx Crosby, Tyler Linderbaum, Kolton Miller and Kirk Cousins,’ he said.
‘I’m sure there’s been more, I’ll be looking forward to reaching out to all my new teammates and most of those guys.
‘It’s been a whirlwind in the past couple hours, but Kirk sent me really nice text, looking forward to working with him, learning anything I can from him, and just a great not only teammates that I will learn from but also the great coaches.’
He continued: ‘There’s a lot of anticipation coming to this pick, but now I’m really glad that all of the outside noise is done. I’m officially a Raider. I’m excited to be humble and hungry and get to work.
‘The Raiders are a core historic franchise and one of the faces of the NFL, and I feel like I need to prove it and earn it every single day. It means so much to see the alumni and really shows what a first class organization this is. So, I’m stoked and ready to prove it.
‘When I came on my top 30 visit, I was blown away with everybody in the building. Top to bottom, you can see some, for sure, trickledown effect where everyone’s first class, everyone’s first class.
‘That starts with Coach [Klint] Kubiak, Mr. [John] Spytek, Mr. [Mark] Davis, all the other owners.
‘I’m really excited to be a part of this organization and this professionalism and the way that it’s detail-oriented, how they give incredible effort and just the process.’
Wearing a grey suit and grey tie, Mendoza slipped on a Raiders cap before he took to the stage
New Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak must now build his offense around the ex-Indiana QB
Mendoza was not in Pittsburgh for the draft on Thursday and stayed in Miami to celebrate
Raiders legend and Super Bowl champion Marcus Allen was pictured in conversation with Mendoza’s parents. His mom Elsa suffers from multiple sclerosis and traveling can be difficult but she was present for her son’s big day.
Mendoza’s journey from overlooked two-star recruit to the top of the NFL draft was completed on Thursday night.
He flashed a big smile at home after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced his name, put a Raiders cap on and began hugging his family while seated on the couch, saving the warmest embrace for his mother.
When the broadcast cut to the Raiders’ draft ‘war room’ celebrating their selection of Mendoza on Thursday night, there was no sign of Brady.
But the Raiders minority owner will no doubt have been involved in the decision to select Mendoza and Spytek was asked how beneficial it’s been having the seven-time Super Bowl champion to lean on.
‘He’s just always been a great partner to me and really to this Raiders organization,’ Spytek told NFL Network after the Mendoza pick.
‘Whatever we’ve needed him to do or be a part of he has.
‘Specifically when you’re evaluating a quarterback and there’s this much involved in it and you have this opportunity with the first overall pick, to have Tom be a part of that is a unique and special part of the process.’
