With most NFL draft analysts predicting Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza to be the top pick, he has abstained from throwing at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine. Instead, he will just do the measurements, undergo medical evaluations, and do media interviews for now. During the process, reports indicate that Mendoza has gained weight. All of it has made Mendoza’s comparisons to former Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan increasingly uncanny.

Indiana listed its quarterback at 6 feet 5 inches and 225 pounds to open the 2025 season. But now, in fresh NFL Combine evaluations, Mendoza has reportedly gained 11 lbs. His new 236-pound frame is strikingly similar to Matt Ryan’s 228-pound combine weight, and the parallels don’t stop there. Both quarterbacks measured in with identical 9 1/2-inch hands, a key metric for ball security.

The comparison extends to their on-field processing, where Mendoza mirrors Ryan’s much lauded decision-making, accuracy, and precision.

“When I watch him, here’s what I see. A bigger, stronger, more athletic version of Matt Ryan,” Colin Cowherd said about Fernando Mendoza. “That’s what he looks like. Matt Ryan is ninth all-time in passing yards and top 10 all-time in touchdown passes, got to a Super Bowl and led 28 to three, has an MVP season behind him… I think Mendoza is a little bigger, he moves a little better, and I think he’s got a slightly stronger arm.”

Mendoza’s surgical passing accuracy is the highest in his draft class (per PFF), and his ability to cut digs, slants, outs, and crossers stands out. Just like Mendoza, Ryan was also renowned for accuracy and his passing rhythm throughout his career. In his long NFL career, Ryan has accumulated a total of 62,792 yards at 65.6% accuracy and also rushed for 1,539 yards. But with Mendoza gaining 11 lbs, his dual-threat talent might appear as a plus, as he has already accumulated 467 rushing yards in 3 years. But that was college. The pro game will not allow Mendoza to move the way he did against his old opponents. The defenses in the NFL are stronger and faster. Not to mention many of the defensive captains are much older with a lot more muscle on them. Mendoza should avoid those hits early on in his career.

But still, Mendoza is the best back-shoulder thrower in the class. He can move well enough to run option plays and avoid pressure, which makes him a solid choice for teams. In fact, his signature fourth down run for a touchdown at the championship game against Miami should remove any doubts around his toughness when it comes to carrying the ball forward.

The former Indiana QB demonstrates a high football IQ, consistently making quick reads and showing advanced pre-snap recognition while maintaining excellent ball security. The Hoosier QB’s arm strength also stands out, as he relies on anticipation, timing, and placement rather than sheer power. Ryan, too, wasn’t known for his powerful arm, but he handled the pocket efficiently and thrived in quick RPO play-action schemes. The former Boston College QB was also a high draft pick, selected third overall in 2008.

The 2025 Heisman Trophy winner has also been receiving specialized coaching and mentorship from Jordan Palmer, who is a renowned “quarterback guru” that has trained NFL superstars like Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen through his QB Summit program. Palmer has publicly praised Mendoza’s NFL-ready skill set. The coach believes Mendoza is the “perfect guy” to handle the pressure of being a top NFL pick.

Mendoza joins an exclusive group of “Palmer-trained” quarterbacks that includes not only Mahomes and Allen but also Joe Burrow, Deshaun Watson, and Bo Nix.

It’s this combination of prototypical size and veteran-like polish that has teams at the top of the draft, particularly the Las Vegas Raiders, taking a very close look.

Fernando Mendoza opens up about the Raiders’ interest

From the outset of the draft process, mock drafts have consistently linked the Raiders to Mendoza at No. 1 overall. The team needs a solid QB after its 3-win season in 2025. New head coach Klint Kubiak will want a QB to build his offense around, and Mendoza fits like a glove. The Raiders, who hold the top pick, have already met with Mendoza for an interview at the ongoing NFL scouting Combine.

“It was a fantastic interview,” Mendoza said. “Coaching staff was in there. We went over some of my previous plays and did plays on the board. I thought it was a great meeting.” Raiders’ minority owner, Tom Brady, also connected with Mendoza, and the Hoosiers’ QB praised the GOAT publicly. “That opportunity would be fantastic. Tom Brady, I believe, is the greatest quarterback of all time, by a wide margin, and to be able to have the opportunity to be mentored by him would mean so much.”

Teams are so desperate for Mendoza to fall down the draft boards that one even suggested he get arrested as a joke. Clearly meant as a joke, it shows the lengths to which NFL teams are coveting Mendoza and see his potential in an otherwise weak QB draft.

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“It was, ‘Hey, maybe you should get arrested.’ I was a little confused, but then it was like to slide. Hopefully, I don’t get arrested,” Fernando Mendoza said when CBS Sports’ Aditi Kinkhabwala asked Mendoza about the strangest question he received at the NFL Combine.

Though Mendoza won’t be throwing at the combine, he has promised to do it at Indiana’s pro day. There, the QB will have his receivers and playbook to work with and can show the quality with the best of his abilities. With the Combine interviews complete, Mendoza’s draft process is nearing its conclusion.