PITTSBURGH — The Raiders’ decades-long search to find their Super Bowl-caliber quarterback may have finally ended Thursday night when they made Indiana’sFernando Mendozathe first overall pick in the NFL draft.
What had been a foregone conclusion for months is official. TheHeisman Trophy winner and national championnow heads to Las Vegas, where he immediately becomes the Raiders’ most important asset in years.
And presumably, the quarterback who leads one of sports’ most iconic franchises back to prominence.
The likelihood of which rests primarily on the shoulders of Mendoza but also the Raiders, who understand the valuable holding they now possess and are determined to maximize him to the fullest.
That objective has guided almost every decision the Raiders have made since securing the top pick in the draft.
Led by Tom Brady, the club’s minority owner and a prominent voice in their football operations, and general manager John Spytek, they have prepped for Mendoza’s arrival by fortifying the infrastructure he now steps into.
Knowing full well that when it comes to highly acclaimed young quarterbacks who end up busting in the NFL, it’s typically the team that fails the quarterback more than the prospect failing the team.
The Raiders want to be on the right side of that history, and their decision-making in anticipation of Mendoza’s selection proves how determined they are of ensuring that.
Nobody knows the quarterback position better than Brady, the self-made Hall of Famer who went from a sixth-round pick afterthought to a seven-time Super Bowl champion by mastering the art of quarterbacking in the NFL.
Brady has made it clear to Mendoza that he will be available to him in every way possible as he transitions to the NFL. From footwork to breaking down film to understanding all the nuances and complexities, Brady and Mendoza are now joined at the hip.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
