From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza.

No. 15 FERNANDO MENDOZA/QB INDIANA – 6-5, 236 POUNDS (RS JUNIOR)

Player
Ht/Wt
Hand Size
Arm Length
Wingspan

Fernando Mendoza
6-5/236
9 1/2″
31 7/8″
N/A

40-Yard Dash
10-Yard Dash
Short Shuttle
3-Cone

DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP

Broad Jump
Vertical
Bench Press

DNP
DNP
DNP

THE GOOD

– Very accurate passer, excellent touch to layer throws down the field
– Extremely efficient, accurate and mistake-free in the red zone
– Brings a gritty, tough attitude to the game, will fight for every single yard
– Throws with anticipation
– Elite accuracy allows him to throw receivers open
– Prototypical quarterback build
– Can put some speed on the ball when he has time and space to load up and throw
– Relatively quick release
– Tough enough to stand in the pocket and finish throws amidst pressure
– Goes through progressions quickly, good processing
– Capable of taking what the defense gives him and picking up yards with his legs
– Few turnover-worthy plays
– Stepped up when it mattered in big games throughout 2025 season, never seemed scared of the moment

THE BAD

– Benefitted from a simple RPO-heavy scheme at Indiana
– Able runner, but not able to escape from pressure in his face consistently
– Not a ton of arm strength
– Seemed to trust his RPO looks too much at times
– Willing to put his body in harms way, may lead to injury concerns in the future
– Questionable decision making with pressure in his face
– Inconsistent mechanics when throwing off base
– Doesn’t step up into the pocket very often
– Slight habit of staring down receivers

STATS

– Career: 68.6-percent completion rate, 8,247 passing yards, 71 passing touchdowns, 22 interceptions 156.2 passer rating
– 2023: 63-percent completion rate, 1,708 yards, 14 touchdowns, 10 interceptions,
– 2024: 68.7-percent completion rate, 3,004 yards, 16 touchdowns, six interceptions
– 2025: 72-percent completion rate, 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns, six interceptions
– 225 career rushing attempts for 473 yards, 11 touchdowns
– Caught a 15-yard touchdown pass in 2024
– In 2025, Led Big Ten in passing touchdowns (41), yards per pass attempt (9.3), adjusted yards per attempt (10.78), passer rating (182.9)
– 36 collegiate games, 20 at Cal and 16 at Indiana
– Awards: 2025: Heisman Trophy winner, AP Player of the Year, Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, Consensus All American

INJURY HISTORY

– 2024: Missed final game of the season against SMU due to an illness
– 2025: Visited the tent with a minor injury against Wisconsin, missed one play after taking a big hit in the Big Ten Championship game, and bloodied his lip in the National Championship game, but played through all three injuries

BACKGROUND

– DOB: October 1, 2003
– Hometown: Miami, FL (born in Boston, MA)
– Attended Christopher Columbus High School in Miami
– Three-star prospect out of high school
– Committed to Cal, transferred to Indiana before 2025 season
– Earned Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in three years at Cal
– Campus Ministry President and school Vice President in high school
– Mendoza’s mother, Elsa, struggles with multiple sclerosis, and Mendoza teamed up with two Bloomington-based restaurants through an NIL deal to raise money for the National MS Society

TAPE BREAKDOWN

When watching Fernando Mendoza’s tape, one of the first things to jump off the screen is his accuracy. He doesn’t have the strongest arm, but Mendoza is excellent at layering throws. Especially in the red zone, a place he was elite at in Indiana.

Mendoza reads this play well, and makes an excellent throw over the top of the defense, putting the ball where only his receiver can catch it. His accuracy really shines through in the red zone, something that should translate well for Mendoza heading into the NFL.

That doesn’t just happen in the red zone, though. Mendoza is accurate to all levels of the field, including the deep ball.

You’re not going to see many throws prettier than this one. Mendoza makes the right read, throwing the ball at the perfect time with his receiver past the cornerback, yet still free from the safety. He layers it right into his receivers’ hands for a massive gain down the sideline.

The accuracy is certainly there, throwing downfield. But the arm strength is a little more of a worry. Mendoza didn’t need that arm strength in the previous throw, but he did need it here.

Mendoza’s receiver has a clear step on his man here, and it’s a good decision by Mendoza. But he doesn’t get nearly enough on the ball. That allows the defender to get back into the play and break it up.

Mendoza is a capable runner, and he ran the ball plenty of times at Indiana. However, he’s not a quarterback who’s going to dynamically extend plays with his legs.

Overall, his pocket presence is pretty solid. But once the pressure is within the pocket, Mendoza doesn’t have enough agility to escape it, as shown in the clip above.

That said, it’s not like Mendoza isn’t mobile at all. He can make plays with his legs when he needs to, and there’s a reason Indiana had him run the ball as often as they did.

He’s not going to accelerate quickly with the ball in his hands. But when he has a chance to get up to speed, Mendoza is quick enough to make defenses pay with his legs. Here, he’s able to escape the pocket and scramble for a nice first down.

It’s not a huge concern, since Mendoza is pretty accurate as a passer. However, he played in an RPO-heavy offense, and a lot of his throws came on those short slants over the middle. Mendoza operates them well, but there are times he trusts the route too much and doesn’t correctly read what’s happening over the middle of the field.

This type of concept is something Indiana ran often. Mendoza makes the read, but doesn’t see the safety over the top. In the end, his receiver gets leveled. Again, this doesn’t happen too often, but it will be interesting to see Mendoza adjust in the NFL without so many RPO looks.

Finally, the biggest concerns I have with Mendoza are his arm strength and his decision-making under pressure. Notably, I only see Mendoza make bad decisions when pressured. He tends to try to force things, even when falling back, and he doesn’t have enough arm strength to make up for it.

If you have the arm talent, this is a throw that can be made, despite it being a bad decision. But Mendoza doesn’t have the arm to make this throw. He’ll need to clean up some of these bad decisions in the NFL.

That said, there is a lot to like about Mendoza as a quarterback. He’s a very accurate passer who throws with anticipation. Both of those help him throw his receivers open, as he does here.

This is a simple read, and Mendoza knows where he’s going with the ball before the snap. But he throws it at the perfect time, with the defender’s back still turned. And his throw is perfect, right at the receivers’ back shoulder where only he can catch it.

CONCLUSION

In general, Fernando Mendoza isn’t as exciting a prospect as most quarterbacks that go first overall. He doesn’t have the strongest arm in the world, and he makes some questionable decisions when pressured. He doesn’t move the best in the pocket, and while he’s able to scramble, he has no fear about putting his body in harms way. It’s admirable to see a quarterback so willing to take contact, but it could lead to future injuries. And Mendoza’s offense was very RPO-oriented at Indiana, so there aren’t as many NFL-level throws on tape.

However, Mendoza has many skills that should immediately translate to the NFL. He’s extremely accurate at every layer of the field; that’s not going to disappear. He processes things well and throws with anticipation against both man and zone. Mendoza rarely throws interceptions and was nearly perfect in the red zone. And Mendoza is a great leader, an important trait for quarterbacks. He will put his body on the line for his team and earn his teammates’ respect.

To me, his game falls somewhere in between the way Joe Burrow and Matt Ryan looked coming out of college. He might not live up to the production those two saw, but Mendoza has enough traits to make him a quality NFL quarterback. I see him becoming a long-time starter in the NFL, but I’m not sure he’ll develop into a perennial All-Pro.

NFL Projection: Top-10 pick
Steelers Depot Draft Grade: 8.8 (Longtime Starter)
Grade Range: 8.3-9.2
Games Watched: vs Illinois (2025), at Iowa (2025), at Oregon (2025)