In just a matter of days, the Las Vegas Raiders are going to make the inevitable selection of Fernando Mendoza with the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft official. But in a weird way, Mendoza's NFL fate is interconnected with the Atlanta Falcons for reasons which extend beyond the Kirk Cousins signing.
Not only will he be competing with an ex-Falcon for the QB1 job in Las Vegas, Mendoza has been drawing comparisons to a franchise legend. Many people in league circles, including former Falcons' head coach Mike Smith, see a lot of Matt Ryan in the Heisman Trophy winner, and it makes sense.
""There are a lot of comparables out there. I compare him to someone who was an outstanding quarterback in Matt Ryan. I think that’s the comparable you have to go with. I also see elements of Kirk Cousins and Jared Goff too.""Mike Smith
During an exclusive interview with Betway, Smith was asked about Mendoza, and Ryan was one of three names he brought up, along with Cousins and Jared Goff. And all three of them have something in common, when you place them in a favorable situation, it's easy to build a contender around them.
Ex-Falcons' coach Mike Smith sees Matt Ryan in Fernando Mendoza
Smith is someone who knows Matty Ice's game incredibly well. He was his head coach in Atlanta for the six seasons of his career, so it's not like he's just pulling this out of nowhere. So if he's comparing the 22-year-old to his first-ever franchise QB as a head coach, he clearly sees something in him.
Ryan and Mendoza have just decent arm talent, but what makes them stand out in regards to one another is the football IQ. Both of them are incredibly smart individuals, and that shows in their ability to read a defense, so while neither has Mahomes-like upside, you know exactly what type of QB play you'll get, Elite pocket presence and accuracy with incredible composure in any situation.
The comparisons for Mendoza have grown bolder over the last couple weeks, with names like Peyton Manning (thanks Mel Kiper Jr.) and Joe Burrow being floated, but Ryan is a much more realistic comparison, especially when you consider the situation that placed Mendoza on the No. 1 pick radar.
After some rough years in an awful situation at Cal, the decision to transfer to Indiana saved him. Not only did Curt Cignetti play into his strengths as an RPO-based passer, he was surrouunded by elite talent like Omar Cooper Jr., Elijah Sarratt, and two future NFL RBs in Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby.
Meanwhile, Ryan was at his best while throwing to Julio Jones, Roddy White, and Tony Gonzalez. Even Devonta Freeman and Michael Turner made his life easier in the run game. He was working with Kyle Shanahan in his MVP season, while Klint Kubiak, Mendoza's future head coach, is a Shanahan disciple.
As far as a Ryan comparison goes for Mendoza, I don't think Raiders fans would be complaining about the end result. Four Pro Bowls, an MVP, and a second-half collapse away from a Super Bowl ring. And he'll probably receive a gold jacket in the coming years, so Smith's words have history on his side.
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