India, April 19 -- Fernando Mendoza might realistically start before veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, at least he preparing to do so. An NFL insider gave an insight into the Las Vegas Raiders' strategy ahead, days before the 2026 Draft. Heisman Trophy winner Mendoza is expected to go to the Raiders with the No 1 overall pick.

The Raiders have already acquired Cousins, who has a proven track record, and makes a strong case for Week 1. The team's general manager, John Spytek, had recently spoke about the internal competition. He also kept Aidan O'Connell a part of his response.

"Ultimately, this is a meritocracy, and the best guy will play. It's just really hard to play really well at a young age, but we've seen plenty of quarterbacks do...