# Carmen Vitali: Vitali argues that a quarterback taken first overall has to play immediately, saying Mendoza will be thrown out there as the Raiders' starter whether the team is ready or not.

**Claimed:** Mar 1, 2026
**Pundit:** Carmen Vitali — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/carmen-vitali
**Outlet:** Fox Sports Radio (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/fox-sports-radio-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air or in an interview
**Original:** https://omny.fm/shows/fox-sports-radio-weekends/buck-fitz-break-down-the-nfl-scouting-combine-report-cards-more

One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.

Nothing to score yet: this grades once the result is in.

Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.

> So you take a guy at one overall, that's the most you could possibly invest in someone. So you're gonna have to throw them out there

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Fernando Mendoza to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Fernando Mendoza
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Fernando Mendoza — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/fernando-mendoza

## What others said about the same people

- Nick Shook on Fernando Mendoza: Shook walks through his full first-round mock draft, assigning a prospect to every pick from No. 1 to No. 32, headlined by Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders, David Bailey to the Jets and Jeremiah Love to the Cardinals in the top three. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7d4209aa-2e2d-47a2-b6e5-791d16d209cb (scored 100)
- Shannon Sharpe on Fernando Mendoza: Sharpe expects Myles Garrett, now with the Rams, to remain dominant and post at least 14-15 sacks, and he also thinks Micah Parsons will again reach double-digit sacks. He predicts the Dolphins win only two games this season, and says Jeremiah Smith won't go ahead of Mendoza at the top of the draft. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/471fb1a1-3faf-4a75-bf81-ff8ebf57c88d (scored 100)
- Colin Cowherd on Fernando Mendoza: Cowherd is high on Fernando Mendoza, calling him a first-round prospect who fits none of the bust profiles, and expects Kirk Cousins to open the season as the starter. Among his five bold predictions he has Justin Herbert winning multiple playoff games and Caleb Williams winning MVP. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ec4160af-aa50-41ea-ba24-909ed8406a2a (scored 100)
- Jaime Eisner on Fernando Mendoza: A seven-round Raiders mock draft projecting Fernando Mendoza first overall to Las Vegas and nine additional picks, including Denzel Boston in Round 2 and A.J. Haulcy in Round 3. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/bbfe3a86-3855-40a0-853b-b94372c10622 (scored 100)
- Chris Brockman on Fernando Mendoza: Brockman argued four Ohio State players will be taken in the top 10, that Fernando Mendoza will be the first QB off the board and top Tom Brady's 2001 statistical line as a rookie, that Jeremiah Love will beat Ashton Jeanty's rookie production, that tight ends Kenyan Sadiq and Eli Stowers both go top 20, that Ty Simpson is the second QB drafted in round one and starts Week 1, that Jimmy Garoppolo gets the Cardinals over .500, and that Mike Evans leaves Tampa for a contender and goes further in the playoffs than the Bucs. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ad44d0b1-a5f6-47ca-bf2b-8b737241966d (scored 100)
- Rich Eisen on Fernando Mendoza: Eisen endorsed four Ohio State players going in the top 10 (with Arvel Reese no lower than seventh), listed Mendoza, Jeremiah Love, Miami's left tackle, Penn State's interior guard and Bailey as top-10 picks, said Love won't get out of the top five, and agreed Mendoza's rookie numbers would beat Brady's 2001 line and that Mike Evans will leave Tampa to chase a ring. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d54552b5-50a7-48e0-b0dd-3cf296d356b7 (scored 100)

## More depth chart calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Garrett Podell on Case Keenum: Podell ranks all 32 current NFL starting quarterbacks entering Week 3 of the 2026 season, with Josh Allen first, Patrick Mahomes second and Case Keenum last. He also expects Kyler Murray and Michael Penix Jr. to return to action in Week 3 and Case Keenum to possibly start for the Bears. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0e92b59e-0dd1-43c3-80c1-6551a8b641ac (scored 100)
- Fox Sports on Case Keenum: A roundup of NFC injury news expects Jameis Winston to start for the Giants in any games Jaxson Dart misses, and suggests third-stringer Case Keenum could end up starting for the Bears against the Eagles in Week 3 with both Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent sidelined. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3aff6d9f-b997-480e-b323-740b6a4677ed (scored 100)
- Fox Sports on Case Keenum: With Caleb Williams injured and Tyson Bagent in concussion protocol, third-string quarterback Case Keenum is expected to start for the Bears against the Eagles in Week 3. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7726bb2f-b9aa-4c35-aa7b-e0b49990e867 (scored 100)
- Pat Fitzmaurice on Jonah Coleman: In his Week 3 waiver column, Fitzmaurice makes several depth-chart calls around injuries: Jonah Coleman leading Denver's backfield, Marcus Mariota taking over in Washington, Michael Penix Jr. starting once healthy, and Malik Washington serving as Miami's top receiver, plus availability expectations for Detroit's injured safeties. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2cbd48f6-15ea-4aa5-84bc-bcc50d94d09a (scored 0)
- Fox Sports on Michael Penix Jr.: Fox Sports states that a healthy Tua Tagovailoa will serve as Atlanta's backup quarterback in Week 3, with Michael Penix Jr. handling the starting duties against Green Bay. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a90e69a8-707f-43e9-a63e-cdb3e7bd0829 (scored 100)
- Pat Fitzmaurice on Aaron Jones: In previewing the 10 most intriguing fantasy performers of Week 2, Fitzmaurice expects Atlanta's quarterback problems to persist with Tua Tagovailoa unlikely to play and Michael Penix Jr. not ready to return, flags Falcons slot corner Billy Bowman Jr. as a possible Week 2 returnee, and describes Aaron Jones as Minnesota's lead back and Kaelon Black as the clear backup to Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/31adc8bb-8f15-453f-bbcf-cab44e29b8b3 (scored 100)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

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