Ty Schmit reveals why Fernando Mendoza is obvious choice for No. 1 pick

Schmit has had multiple opportunities to interact with Mendoza through appearances on the Pat McAfee Show. Schefter asked what kind of person Mendoza is based on those interviews.

“He's super bright football wise. Went to Cal first, was going to go to Yale out of high school. He's a very intelligent guy," Schmit said.

"Something people don't give him enough credit for is he can stand in his pocket. We were at the Big Ten Championship on Saturday night. First play of the game, completely blasted, gets the wind knocked out of him. You're thinking, well does this guy have a concussion? He misses one play and comes back in."

Schmit confident Mendoza will handle NFL interviews better than most prospects

Schmit expressed zero doubt about how Mendoza will perform when NFL teams bring him in for visits.

"And he's going to be incredible during the interview process. I think that's the big thing is you're not gonna hear any 'Oh, this guy really bombed his interview with the Browns or the Jets, whoever it may be.' He's gonna blow people away," Schmit said.

The Heisman ceremony airs Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET on ABC. Mendoza's main competition comes from Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, with Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love and Ohio State's Julian Sayin rounding out the finalists.

Mendoza has done enough this season to separate himself from the field, both in the Heisman race and in early 2026 draft discussions. Whether he lives up to people's projection as the No. 1 pick will depend on how NFL teams evaluate him over the next few months.