Indian Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza is coming off a massive season, winning the College Football Playoff national championship and the Heisman Trophy. Shortly after completing a historic 16-0 run, Mendoza appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he broke several “records” during a segment where he threw footballs at airborne vinyl records.
Not long after his appearance aired, Mendoza humbly announced his decision to declare for the 2026 NFL draft via Instagram. After his decision, the Hoosiers quarterback was projected to be the No. 1 overall pick on the draft boards. That pick is held by the Las Vegas Raiders in the upcoming draft.
However, fans are not convinced of his No. 1 projection, as one fan said he would be the biggest draft bust in NFL history.
“Fernando Mendoza will be the NFL’s biggest bust in history and there’s nothing you can do about it,” one fan wrote.
“He’s bouta disappoint the raiders so bad,” another fan added.
“Bro is either gonna be the next Burrow or Tebow no in between,” one fan predicts.
“I don’t think I’d go for him as number 1,” one fan reacted. “There are other better, talented, more technical QBs than him.”
“He will set the raiders back 5 years,” one fan added.
“Another Raider bust at QB!” one fan said.
“lucky the qb class is dogs**t because he should be nowhere near that No1 pick,” one fan added.
Fernando Mendoza Crashes The Tonight Show
Fernando Mendoza made a memorable appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Jan. 22. Mendoza joked with the host and even interrupted a portion of Fallon’s monologue.
During one segment on the show, Fallon asked Mendoza to participate in a throwing challenge. The host threw vinyl records into the air for the quarterback to throw at. Mendoza ended up hitting eight in 30 seconds.
Mendoza also talked about his iconic rushing touchdown against the Miami Hurricanes in the championship game, where his instincts took over for the better.
“I’m supposed to run left, and all of a sudden some instinct tells me, ‘Let’s run right,'” Mendoza said. “So it’s like when you missed your exit on Maps and you’re like, ‘Oh, shoot, here we go.’ But luckily it was the exit to a touchdown.
“And then, like you said, I saw these huge football players in front of me, and I was like a human pinball machine. I was like boom, boom, bang, getting banged up. And all of a sudden I’m in the air and I’m like, ‘Might as well reach for the touchdown’ because I’m so banged up, I don’t know if I’ll be able to get up after.”
It remains to be seen if NFL teams find him the No. 1 pick when the time comes.
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