NFL: Fernando Mendoza set for 'baptism of fire' as No 1 pick makes first start for Las Vegas Raiders against against Seattle Seahawks

Fernando Mendoza's time has come, so too has a new era for the Las Vegas Raiders.

The NFL's No 1 overall draft pick will make his first regular-season start this Sunday when he takes the reins at quarterback for Klint Kubiak's side.

Mendoza will lead the Raiders out against the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks following the departure of Kirk Cousins in a deadline day trade back to the Minnesota Vikings.

The Heisman Trophy winner has spent the entire summer and the first half of the season learning behind his veteran mentor. Now the stage is his, against the best defense in football.

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"This Seattle Seahawks defense, despite having a couple of losses, is still phenomenal," said Sky Sports NFL's Phoebe Schecter on Inside the Huddle.

"They really have a similar kind of DNA to the Vikings, especially for a rookie. You know exactly what you're going to do against this young man.

"You look at Nick Emmanwori and how as a quarterback you stand back there and have to figure out who's coming, who's not, where, what, who is playing what position.

"And then that defensive line, telling him to keep his eyes up the whole time. This is going to be a lot of hand-holding, I would suggest, for this first game, and definitely a baptism by fire."

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It beckons as a reunion for Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak, who served as offensive coordinator of the Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Kenneth Walker-led unit that won the Super Bowl in February.

He helped inspire the best of Darnold amid his career resurrection, and is now tasked with orchestrating a smooth start to the career of a young quarterback.

"Our expectation is for him to lead the offense, to lead the operation, and to go play a game here Sunday and be the leader of the team," said Kubiak

"We have to prepare him and give him a lot of reps to get him comfortable."

Mendoza's only action this season came in October when he made a fourth-quarter cameo in the Raiders' 45-17 defeat to the Patriots, going six of eight for 48 yards.

"This is something that he's worked very hard for since the moment he walked into this building," said Raiders general manager John Spytek.

"He passed every test. He put us in a position where we had to make a very hard decision today with his growth as a person, as a teammate, as a leader, as a quarterback."

Mendoza was selected with the first pick of the draft in April after guiding the unbeaten Indiana Hoosiers to their first college national title while throwing for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns with a completion percentage of 72.

"It's a bit challenging because you have no tape on him," said Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II. "You don't have too many tendencies or some of his weaknesses.

"As far as what I've seen on tape, the guy, number one draft pick, he can make all the throws. As a unit, as a defense, especially as a defensive line, we can get after this guy, especially in the passing game. We have to rush as one, be on one accord and our communication has to be at a high level. We can get after him."

Mendoza takes over an offense ranked 15th in total yards, fifth in passing and eighth in scoring after an impressive start to the campaign from 38-year-old Cousins, who has thrown for a fifth-most 2,340 yards and 20 touchdowns to eight interceptions. Such has been his impact that the Vikings sought to re-acquire the quarterback in a bid to solve their offensive slump.

Brock Bowers looms as Mendoza's top target with a team-high 658 receiving yards and six touchdowns while averaging 94.0 yards per game.

The Raiders sit 4-5 as they prepare to take on the 5-4 Seahawks, who will again be led by Drew Lock in his second successive start in place of the injured Darnold.

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