Fernando Mendoza: I've grown leaps and bounds this offseason

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At some point, Fernando Mendoza will be the Raiders' starting quarterback. He's not that yet. The No. 1 overall pick is working behind Kirk Cousins and Aidan O'Connell in the offseason program, paying his dues and learning the ropes. “I’m just trying to work every single day , and right now, I’m repping with the threes and a little bit with the twos," Mendoza said Tuesday, via Sam Gordon of the Las Vegas Review-Journal . "So, right now I’m just trying to prove myself and do the best in whatever rep I get and treat every rep like it’s a Super Bowl.” New coach Klint Kubiak has repeatedly said he would prefer that a rookie quarterback not start Day 1, and the sportsbooks like Cousins to start Week 1. But the Raiders are giving Mendoza every chance to win the job, and he is doing his best to take advantage of the opportunity. “I think there's always a transition, especially from the college level to the NFL level, and it's having those positive stressors, and that growing period," Mendoza said. "There are going to be some growing pains. Luckily, I feel confident that I'm able to see the field well. My growing pains are coming from, 'Hey, I've got to time up my footwork a little bit with the routes,' and intricacies here and there. I'm really working hard with the coaching staff, who are pushing me, and have done a phenomenal job of relaying and communicating the information needed. It's up to me take full advantage of that. "I feel like I’ve been growing every day, from the first day of OTAs, then today at minicamp. I feel like I’m leaps and bounds ahead of where I was.”