2026 NFL Draft Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza

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00:00I see every reason to get excited about this kid.

00:03I know that there is quite a bit of projection that goes into him.

00:08But I can see that Matt Ryan type of a mold for a starting quarterback.

00:15And who could be a...

00:16Yeah, I could kind of see Drake.

00:18I mean, he's not as good an athlete as Drake,

00:20but I'm talking about that longer, kind of longer arms.

00:24You know what I mean?

00:25I don't know, just kind of that body type.

00:27Right.

00:28But what gets me excited about him is he's tall, good athlete, move on the run.

00:34He can impact the game as a runner.

00:37Elite arm strength to me.

00:39I think that he's got plus arm strength.

00:40I think that you and I disagreed on that area.

00:42He's got really good poise, really strong awareness.

00:45He played at Cal.

00:46He's going to Indiana this year.

00:47You can tell that he was smart enough to get into Cal

00:50because he just has a really good feel for how he should approach

00:53and handle certain things.

00:54And then the last bit, when you have a guy that's got as powerful as an arm

00:58as Mendoza has, is he able to reel it in and show that he's got the touch

01:04to deliver the ball with different amounts of velocity

01:07and on different concepts in different parts of the field?

01:10And I think he shows that on every single throw.

01:12I don't have a lot of worry about him not being able to grow

01:17and to develop and to become a premier level quarterback.

01:20I feel like I'm starting to see this with not a lot around him last year

01:23that he was able to, a guy that got better week over week,

01:26that he can improve.

01:28I really think Mendoza has this shot to go into the league

01:32and eventually become one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL.

01:36I think he's firmly in the quarterback one conversation.

01:39I could see if he takes a jump at Indiana, obviously transfer from Cal to Indiana.

01:43The talent around him should be better.

01:44The system is definitely better.

01:46So like that's plus plus and he should be able to accentuate his strengths

01:49a little bit more.

01:50I think the Matt Ryan comp is super interesting that you mentioned.

01:53I could see it like 6'4 plus, probably about 220 pounds

01:59when all is said and done, true pocket quarterbacks that have enough

02:02to be able to navigate the pocket and they throw very catchable footballs, right?

02:08Like they understand how to change arm speeds

02:09and they understand how to layer the football to multiple levels of the field.

02:13So I can get there.

02:14I can get there with Fernando Mendoza.

02:16He's firmly in that conversation for me.

02:17I have him at quarterback three right now,

02:19but I'd be willing to potentially take him in the late first round right now.

02:22But I think he could have the ascension to be an early first round pick

02:25if he takes a step.

02:27You do have some reservations about him though.

02:29Can you just share what those reservations are?

02:32Well, we differ on the opinion of the arm strength.

02:34I think that it's plus for sure.

02:36I don't think it's elite though.

02:37Like it's a plus arm.

02:39Like it's a good to very good arm in the NFL.

02:42I don't think it's an elite arm though.

02:44And I do think that the ability as a deep ball thrower was not great at Cal.

02:51But like also that's me also putting out into the universe.

02:55I don't think Cal had great wide receivers.

02:57So like do they have guys that can separate down the field?

02:59I'm not really sure.

03:00Like the Nehemiah Hunter kid's solid.

03:03Tobias Meriwether was talented when he was healthy, but he never was healthy.

03:06So I'm interested to see if Indiana is able to unlock some of his ability as a deep ball passer.

03:10I like his ability as a short to intermediate thrower right now.

03:13I think he throws on time.

03:14I think he has good eyes.

03:15I think that he gets the ball out on time relatively consistently.

03:19So I like a lot of what I see.

03:21I'm just still waiting to see a little bit more of that flash of like creating big plays

03:25and consistently creating chunk plays.

03:28That's kind of what I want to see from him in Indiana in his potentially only one year.

03:31I mean, he's got two years of eligibility left, but I think most people anticipate this probably this last year.

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