Fernando Mendoza Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza graduated from Cal this weekend, walking with his former classmates in Berkeley and accepting his diploma. The milestone lands as he begins his move into the Raiders' quarterback room, where he is expected to be the franchise quarterback.
Mendoza Returns to Berkeley
Mendoza started at California Berkeley before transferring to the Hoosiers and finishing his college football career at the University of Indiana. This weekend brought him back to Berkeley for the ceremony, where he crossed the stage with the class he once shared at Cal.
That graduation adds a clean off-field marker to a transition already underway. He has begun to make his mark during OTAs, and minicamp is on the horizon as he settles into the next phase with Las Vegas.
Raiders Quarterback Room
The Raiders have put Mendoza in position to matter quickly. He is the new Las Vegas Raiders quarterback and is expected to be the franchise quarterback for the team, a label that gives his early work extra weight even before the season snaps into view.
Kirk Cousins is also in the Raiders quarterback room, giving Las Vegas another established name alongside Mendoza as the group takes shape. For Mendoza, the degree from Cal and the work now underway with the Raiders are moving on the same track: one chapter closed in Berkeley, another opening in Las Vegas.
For Raiders fans, the practical takeaway is simple. Mendoza is no longer just the young quarterback the team brought in; he is already blending a college milestone with the start of his pro routine, and that combination will frame how every throw and every rep is read from here.
