Fernando Mendoza shares thoughts on Raiders minority owner Tom Brady

The expectation is the Las Vegas Raiders will take Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft, which will give the Indiana superstar an opportunity to work with someone he idolized growing up.

That someone is, of course, Raiders minority owner and New England Patriots legendary quarterback Tom Brady.

During an appearance on FS1's "The Herd" on Friday, Mendoza revealed he was a "huge fan" of Brady growing up and took pointers from the future Hall of Famer when it came to his preparation and overall approach.

"As a child, I was always a huge Tom Brady fan," he said. “I read the TB12 book. I was always big on preparation. Because, like Tom, I’m not the biggest, I’m not the fastest, I’m not the strongest. But the edge is in the intellect and preparation."

"So I really appreciate him preaching that message from a young age," Mendoza added. "And that's really important about being quarterback is being cerebral."

Safe to say, Mendoza is looking forward to working with Brady.

And chances are Brady feels the same, as he recently heaped praise on Mendoza, especially when it comes to the young signal-caller's leadership qualities.

“This is the reality, I’ve only seen him kind of one game in person, in the National Championship Game. I watched a little bit of the Ohio State game. He's an impressive young man," Brady said of Mendoza.

"What do I really value? When I see him and he talks about his teammates. When he wins the Heisman Trophy and he's praising everybody else," he added. "That's an endearing quality for a great leader. You know, everybody, like I said, will be able to throw the ball. Can you run?"

As Mendoza did, Brady also pointed out how important the cerebral part of the game is.

"All that stuff that's really overhyped and overvalued, because honestly, when you go on TV, they don't know how to value these things," Brady continued. "When you talk about the Combine, the misevaluation through scouts and personnel people is rampant. You think they always make good choices? No, they don't. So I have to look at it how I value it, and the things that I've watched over a period of time. What does my expertise show me?"

"Well, it shows me that the mental emotional part is the most sustainable trait throughout. So if you can find someone that has a mental and emotional baseline, and that ceiling is incredibly high, I think with a work ethic you can improve a lot of physical skill sets," he added. "And I don't think this is just about quarterbacks, I think it's about all positions, but again, it comes down to selecting the right people that fit your program and fit the values of what you're trying to make the organization all about.”

Sounds like Mendoza is exactly what Brady is looking for in a quarterback, and it's yet another reason why the Indiana superstar going to the Raiders is a lock.

More NFL news

• Maxx Crosby's reaction to trade rumor is bad news for Cowboys, Eagles, 49ers
• Vikings rumor could lead to trade with Steelers, Jets or Dolphins
• Puka Nacua trolls Myles Garrett, compares him to Giannis Antetokounmpo
• Malik Nabers reveals reason behind slower-than-expected injury recovery
• Matt Nagy gets huge endorsement from possible Giants free-agent target