Fernando Mendoza made it clear this week that his NFL Draft journey will begin on his terms. The former Indiana quarterback confirmed he will attend the NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis but will not take part in on field drills. It is a bold choice, though not a surprising one. After leading Indiana to an unbeaten Big Ten season and a national title, Mendoza has little left to prove. Most projections already have him sitting at the very top of the draft board.Fernando Mendoza enters this process as the most valuable asset in a quarterback class many scouts see as thin. The Las Vegas Raiders hold the first overall pick, and his name has been tied to them for months. His rise has been steady, powered by production, confidence, and a championship résumé that changed the trajectory of Indiana football almost overnight.
Fernando Mendoza faces questions about Raiders fit before draft decision
The discussion around Fernando Mendoza is not really about his ability. It is about what comes next and where. During Monday’s edition of The Herd, Fox Sports analyst Colin Cowherd voiced concern, not about the quarterback, but about the environment waiting for him.“I don’t worry about Fernando Mendoza; I worry about the Raiders as his parent in this league. Bottom line, even if Klint Kubiak is a good coach, he’ll probably be the fourth-best coach in his division, and ownership is impulsive and ridiculously impatient. I don’t have a Mendoza issue; I have a Mendoza to the Raiders issue.”Cowherd added another layer to his evaluation. “Who picks you matters a lot. I think it’s an interesting red flag. Here’s the thing, Caleb (Williams) may have struggled, but Caleb is an insane athlete. Mendoza is not even an Andrew Luck athlete.”Even so, Mendoza’s production speaks loudly. He posted a PFSN College QB Impact score of 93.3 while throwing for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. He also ran for 276 yards and seven more scores. Those numbers helped transform Indiana into a national champion and cemented his place at the top of this class.Not everyone believes he needs to play right away. Fox Sports draft analyst Rob Rang offered a different approach.“Unlike recent No. 1 overall selections, Mendoza does not necessarily have to start immediately,” Rang wrote. “The Raiders, of course, still have veteran Geno Smith, who, like Mendoza, is a clean schematic fit in Kubiak’s offense.”Rang added, “Smith’s presence should allow Kubiak and the Raiders the increasingly rare opportunity to truly prepare Mendoza for the NFL, rather than rush him onto the field. The Heisman Trophy winner and national champion has the prototypical build, all the intangibles, and enough physical traits to ultimately become a star in the NFL.”Mendoza’s path here was not predictable. He began at California Golden Bears before transferring to Indiana and thriving under coach Curt Cignetti. One season changed everything. Now, the next decision, made by a franchise and not a player, could shape the rest of his career.
