LAS VEGAS, NV - Fernando Mendoza has yet to throw his first pass in the 2K OLF, but few newcomers will enter Season 36 with more attention surrounding them.
The Las Vegas Raiders used the No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 Draft on the former Indiana quarterback, adding one of the most accomplished players in the rookie class to a franchise that was already knocking on the door of another championship run.
Mendoza arrives in Las Vegas as a 74 OVR rookie with Superstar development, giving head coach Max Farias a potentially important long-term piece at quarterback. At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, the 23-year-old also brings an intriguing ratings profile that suggests his overall number may not tell the entire story.
From Indiana to the No. 1 Pick
Before arriving in Las Vegas, Mendoza put together a remarkable final college season at Indiana.
He completed 72 percent of his passes for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns, helping lead Indiana to an undefeated season and the program’s first national championship. Mendoza also became the school’s first Heisman Trophy winner, capping a season that ultimately pushed him to the top of the 2026 Draft.
Those numbers belong to his college résumé, not his 2K OLF career. As Season 36 approaches, Mendoza’s league stat sheet remains completely untouched.
That makes what comes next considerably more interesting.
Watch: Fernando Mendoza Indiana Highlights
A 74 Overall With Plenty to Work With
Mendoza begins his career rated 74 overall, but several of his individual attributes stand out immediately.
His 91 Throw Power gives him the arm strength to attack defenses vertically, while an 88 Short Accuracy rating should make the underneath passing game one of his early strengths. He currently carries 79 Medium Accuracy and 78 Deep Accuracy, leaving room for improvement as his career develops.
Mendoza also owns an 82 Throw Under Pressure, 82 Throw on the Run and 85 Play Action rating. Those numbers give Farias some flexibility in how the rookie could eventually be used rather than limiting him strictly to traditional dropback concepts.
Perhaps the biggest surprise comes from his athleticism.
Although Madden classifies Mendoza as a Pocket quarterback, he enters Season 36 with 84 Speed, 84 Acceleration and 84 Agility, along with an 80 Change of Direction rating. He is not entering the league as a traditional scrambling quarterback, but those ratings should give him enough mobility to extend plays and punish defenses when opportunities appear.
Superstar Development Changes the Equation
The most important rating attached to Mendoza may not be a number at all.
Mendoza begins Season 36 with Superstar development, allowing him to progress at an accelerated rate as his career unfolds. He does not currently have any Superstar or X-Factor abilities assigned, meaning those advantages will have to be earned as he develops.
For a quarterback beginning at 74 overall, that development trait creates considerable upside.
His 75 Awareness, 79 Medium Accuracy and 78 Deep Accuracy show there is still plenty of room between the rookie Mendoza entering Season 36 and what he could eventually become. The combination of Superstar development, a powerful arm and above-average mobility gives Las Vegas the opportunity to mold him over time.
An Interesting Decision Awaits Max Farias
None of that necessarily means Mendoza will immediately take control of the Raiders offense.
Las Vegas also enters Season 36 with veteran Kirk Cousins and Aidan O’Connell on the quarterback depth chart, giving Farias multiple options as he decides who will lead an offense coming off another deep postseason run.
The decision carries added weight because of where the Raiders are as a franchise.
Las Vegas finished 13-4 in Season 35, won the AFC West and reached the AFC Championship Game. Farias has now guided the Raiders to the postseason in five consecutive seasons during his second stint with the franchise, including four AFC Championship appearances and a trip to the Super Bowl.
This is not a rebuilding team simply handing the offense to a rookie and waiting for the future.
The Raiders are trying to win now.
Mendoza gives them another possibility.
A Blank Stat Sheet and Plenty of Expectations
For now, Fernando Mendoza’s 2K OLF career consists entirely of potential.
Whether Mendoza immediately becomes the quarterback tasked with taking Las Vegas back to the AFC Championship Game or spends part of his rookie season developing behind Cousins remains to be seen. Either way, the Raiders now have one of Season 36’s most fascinating young players sitting in their quarterback room.
A 74 overall rating tells us where Fernando Mendoza begins.
His Superstar development - and what Max Farias eventually does with it - could determine just how far he goes.
