Myles Price, Ke'Shawn Willams Impressed With New Indiana Quarterback Fernando Mendoza

NFL Pro Day is often a first for the players involved – a first in the sense that it begins their next football journey at the professional level – but it’s also a last in the sense that it’s the last time players are seen in the context of being part of their college teams.

A total of 21 former Hoosiers took part in Pro Day as well as some players from nearby schools. One unexpected surprise was an appearance by new Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

With Kurtis Rourke not able to take part in passing drills due to his recent knee surgery, it was Mendoza who threw to former Indiana running backs, tight ends and wide receivers during Tuesday’s activities at the Mellencamp Pavilion.

Mendoza, who transferred to Indiana from California in December, looked every bit the part of the Hoosiers’ starting quarterback-to-be. He was accurate on his deep throws – he threw to all participating wide receivers on 40-yard throws into the end zone – and had plenty of zip and accuracy on medium and curl routes.

Former Indiana wide receiver Myles Price was on the receiving end of one of Mendoza’s best throws. On a post route, Price hauled in a perfectly thrown deep ball in the back of the end zone. Price was so thrilled he made the catch that he jumped and bounced off the wall in the Mellencamp Pavilion just behind the end zone.

“He has a cannon. Indiana, y'all got a great one,” Price said. “We got out here a little early so we can throw with them a few times before we actually got out here for the day.”

Price said he played with a lot of good quarterbacks at Texas Tech and with Rourke at Indiana, but he was impressed with Mendoza.

“He's up there with them. I wish I would have got a chance to play with him, but I got a chance to play with Kurt. That's another great quarterback. So it all worked out,” Price noted.

Former Indiana wide receiver Ke’Shawn Williams also had a good catch on another well-thrown Mendoza pass. Williams ran a flag route and managed to haul in Mendoza’s pass while remaining inbounds.

“Kurtis, I wish he was out here because that’s just my guy and we got a year in together, but Doza stepped in and did a great job. He put the ball where it needed to be and allowed me to go out there and make a play and showed my ability to track the ball,” Williams said.

Mendoza – who threw for 3,004 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions for California in 2024 –will get his first on-field action with the Hoosiers when they start spring football practice on Saturday.