Scouting Indiana's Fernando Mendoza ahead of 2026 NFL Draft

Fernando Mendoza NFL Draft bio

Strengths

Mendoza brings an elite football IQ, demonstrating quick mental processing pre- and post-snap. He's able to identify blitzes, read coverages, identify vulnerabilities based on the play call and exploit them. 

He possesses good arm strength and overall mechanics. He can differentiate velocity and touch to layer over second- and third-level defenders. Mendoza can drive the ball into tight windows against both zone and man coverages. He is skilled at throwing back-shoulder fades and against one-on-one coverages while spreading the field. 

Overall, he gets into rhythm quickly and possesses the ability to work throughout the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield. He's tough and poised under pressure in all downs and situations. 

Weaknesses

Mendoza lacks ideal athleticism, which could be a factor when he needs to escape the pocket against blitz-heavy teams or penetration from within. With the heavy RPO focus, he lacked the consistency of dealing with full-field progressions, but when he did, he was solid. 

Summary

Mendoza will bring the Matthew Stafford, Tom Brady and Matt Ryan approach with his ability to stand in the pocket and take hits under pressure. Quick processor and will make the right reads to keep his team ahead of the chains. Mendoza consistently showcases good ball placement to every level of the field. 

NFL scheme fits