INDIANAPOLIS — Fernando Mendoza might not be the prototypical quarterback that we’re used to seeing get drafted with the No. 1 overall pick. Yet, the Indiana quarterback is already the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and some people around the league clearly see why that’s the case.
An NFL scout told me that Mendoza has all the tools, but his ability to handle adverse situations stood out the most as he prepares to make the transition to the pros.
“He has poise in the pocket to stand and deliver, plus the mental aspect,” the NFL scout told me. “He’s got all the NFL traits, none really that elite, but all together a very formidable package.”
League sources I spoke with lauded the toughness Mendoza displayed down the backstretch of an undefeated season for the Hoosiers, culminating in the 6-foot-5 signal caller earning the Heisman trophy.
“His best trait is his mind,” an NFL personnel executive told me. “He’s a pocket QB with quick eyes and a quick release. He processes coverage and pressure at a high rate. Good arm strength and excellent accuracy. He’s tough and shows poise in high-stress situations. Excellent make-up. NFL starter.”
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FOX Sports draft analyst Rob Rang highlighted Mendoza’s toughness, but, along with others around the league,, also pointed to the quarterback’s poise.
“There were many critics ready to pounce [on Mendoza’s failings],” Rang told me. “It’s actually very similar to what Sam Darnold and the Seahawks just experienced. There were so many people waiting for him to have one interception, one poor throw to resurrect the ‘Ghosts’ commentary with Darnold. It’s the same thing with Mendoza.
“If he would’ve lost any game, then it would have been that, ‘He can’t win the big game.’ But he was so accurate, especially in the red zone and in high-pressure situations. On third and fourth down when you’ve got to have a play, that to me is when Mendoza’s poise and precision stood out.”
Rang said comps he’s heard for Mendoza include Jared Goff, Matt Ryan, Daniel Jones and Matt Hasselbeck. All those quarterbacks are more cerebral and do not possess overpowering arms, he said.
With the Las Vegas Raiders expected to take Mendoza No. 1 overall, Rang expects the Indiana product to be a good fit in former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator and new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak’s classic West Coast offense because of the quarterback’s mobility, decision-making and ability to read defenses.
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“You’re talking about quarterbacks whose bread and butter is recognizing coverages, having enough mobility to keep the play alive, but aren’t true scramblers,” Rang said. “I don’t believe he has elite arm strength or athleticism. I think he’s pretty good in those two, and then when it comes to accuracy, anticipation and attitude – the intangibles and work ethic and smarts – I think he’s off the charts.”
NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah echoed the sentiment that Mendoza’s arm might not be the most talented, but his toughness elevates his game and is his top strength.
“If you go through and look at all of these great quarterbacks over the years, I’ve always harped on poise being a big part of it,” Jeremiah said on a conference call. “I did a study on Hall of Famers a long time ago, and you’ll see all different type of sizes and arm strength. You see different athleticism, but they all had a poise to them. And that also has to do with toughness.
“When you get drilled as he did early in the game a couple times and then you don’t see any rattle to him at all — he locks back in. There’s a physical and mental toughness to him that’s going to serve him well And I’d imagine with Tom Brady in the building, as someone who had a reputation for mental and physical toughness, that those traits would be appreciated.”
