On Monday night, Tom Brady was in the building for the national championship game between Miami and Indiana-not in the broadcast booth, but in the stands, scouting. As a minority owner of the Raiders and a close collaborator with new general manager John Spytek, Brady was doing what any football executive with the No. 1 overall pick would do: getting a firsthand look at the top prospects, including quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Fast forward to Friday, and Brady was back in front of the camera, this time on FS1’s The Herd with Colin Cowherd. The topic? Mendoza, the quarterback many believe is the frontrunner to go first overall in the upcoming draft-and potentially the future face of the Raiders franchise.
Brady, who’s never been one to toss around praise lightly, came away impressed-not just with Mendoza’s performance on the field, but with the way he carried himself in the biggest moment of his young career.
“I’d never been to a national championship game,” Brady said. “But just to see the environment, the atmosphere-did it feel too big for anybody?
He’s played tremendous all season, 16-0, leading his team. And again, he’s another guy that, when you hear him speak, I always kind of judge quarterbacks by asking, ‘How would I have answered that?’
He’s just a very mature young man. He’s got a bright future.”
That word-mature-carries weight coming from Brady. It’s not just about physical tools or game tape.
It’s about how a quarterback handles pressure, how he leads, how he communicates. Brady knows better than anyone that NFL success doesn’t come from draft hype-it comes from obsession.
From the grind.
“There’s still so much room for development,” Brady continued. “Nobody’s a finished product.
I don’t care whether you’ve won the Heisman or you’re the 199th pick in the draft. It’s what do you do when you get there?
How important is this to you? Are you obsessed with your job?
Are you obsessed with being the best you can be?”
That’s the lens through which Brady is evaluating Mendoza-and every other top prospect. It’s not just about who they are now, but who they’re willing to become.
Brady also touched on the broader opportunity facing young players entering the league. “These young men, whether it’s Fernando or a lot of other players that were on the field the other night, they have a great opportunity to do something in their life, to enhance their family’s life, to go impact a community in a positive way by playing great football and bringing joy to the fan base. And that’s a job you take very seriously.”
It’s a powerful reminder that the NFL isn’t just a league-it’s a platform. And for a team like the Raiders, who are searching for stability at quarterback and a new identity post-Brady-the-player, the No. 1 pick is a potential turning point.
Brady reflected on his own path, saying, “That’s how I grew up in the league. I found a great environment.
It was all about football. It was about how can you be the best teammate?
How can you work hard? How can you play smart?
How can you play tough? How can you play well under pressure?
How well can you play in tough conditions? And then, ultimately, how well can you play in championship games?
And all those things remain to be seen.”
That last line is key: remain to be seen. Because while Brady clearly respects Mendoza’s poise and production, the real test comes after the draft-when the lights get brighter, the playbooks get thicker, and the hits come faster.
Now, here’s where things get interesting. The Raiders hold the top pick, and Brady is part of the brain trust helping decide what to do with it.
If they believe Mendoza is their guy, they’ll take him. But if they’re not sold, they still have every reason to talk him up publicly.
Why? Because that’s how you drive up the value of the pick.
Make other teams believe he’s a franchise-changer, and maybe someone offers a haul to trade up and get him.
That’s the chess game every team with the No. 1 pick plays. It’s not just about evaluation-it’s about leverage. And Brady, who now wears both the analyst’s headset and the executive’s cap, is walking that line in real time.
Whether the Raiders ultimately take Mendoza or use that pick to stockpile talent across the roster is still up in the air. They need a long-term answer under center, no doubt.
But they’ve got holes elsewhere too. The decision they make in April will shape the direction of the franchise for years to come.
For Brady, it’s a fascinating dual role. On one hand, he’s expected to give honest, insightful analysis on national TV.
On the other, he’s helping steer the Raiders’ future. And when those two worlds collide-like they did this week-it’s all about reading between the lines.
One thing’s for sure: Tom Brady is watching closely. And so is the rest of the league.