When you spend your entire college career in the shotgun, transitioning to life under center in the NFL is like learning to drive a stick shift after years of automatic. That's exactly the challenge facing Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who took his first practice snaps from under center at the team's rookie minicamp—and it was an eye-opening experience.

"It's the added footwork," Mendoza explained. "Instead of being back there in shotgun, you really have to get back to make sure you get depth. Still be on time, still decipher the defense. It's really about emphasizing those first two steps—securing the snap, getting out powerfully, and keeping quick feet."

The adjustment is a top priority for the rookie, and he's getting plenty of guidance from head coach Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko, and quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan. "It's going to be that repetition under center, getting those quicker feet," Mendoza said. "You can always be faster and more efficient in your reads and decisiveness."

This transition is a familiar hurdle for many rookie quarterbacks. College offenses increasingly rely on the shotgun, but NFL teams still demand the ability to operate from under center—whether for play-action, quarterback sneaks, or simply keeping defenses honest. For Mendoza, mastering those first two steps is the foundation for everything else.

Interestingly, he's not alone in this learning curve. Offensive lineman Trey Zuhn, a third-round pick from Texas A&M, has been snapping to Mendoza at minicamp. Zuhn is versatile enough to play anywhere on the line and is expected to shift to guard during the regular season, with veteran Tyler Linderbaum locked in as the starting center. But for now, he's getting valuable reps at center—and adjusting to the same under-center rhythm.

"We didn't do very much under center at A&M either," Zuhn admitted. "So it's been great getting those extra reps."

For Mendoza and Zuhn, these early practices are about building muscle memory and trust. Every snap from under center is a step toward NFL readiness—and a reminder that even the most talented rookies have to start from the ground up.