Bloomington, Ind.– Fernando Mendoza Warmed up with his college roommate on Wednesday while about two dozen college teammates took turns running the 40-yard dash.
winning the heisman trophy again Indiana The quarterback did what he always seems to do: delivered another impressive performance.
All 32 NFL teams sent scouts to Indiana’s campus, more than 100 media members were given certificates and dozens of family members and friends of ex-Hoosiers showed up for a pro day unlike any other in school history. Most people came to see the man who was expected to be the first pick in this month’s NFL Draft, and Mendoza did not disappoint, using his platform to potentially help his ex-teammates improve their draft position.
“I think it went pretty good,” Mendoza said after throwing the last of his approximately 56 passes inside John Mellencamp Pavilion. “You know, quarterbacks have gone on to have even smaller pro days. However, I just wanted to make sure that everyone could showcase their abilities in front of all 32 NFL teams and really run routes that are applicable to what we run in the NFL.”
Mendoza threw short, deep and medium distance passes, targeting receivers left, right and center. He also threw on the run.
No, it wasn’t perfect. Former Florida Prep star and period The graduate overthrew a dive eliza surratt Half a yard on a deep ball, one of several balls falling to the ground.
Then again, having already explained that the 6-foot-5-inch 22-year-old doesn’t need to be perfect las vegas raiders‘The decision-makers took him at No. 1. The Raiders also seem like a perfect fit for Boston-born Mendoza, who is a longtime fan of the team’s minority owner Tom Brady.
Mendoza’s 2025 season certainly caught the attention of Brady, who attended Indiana’s January-miami National Championship Game in Miami with Raiders majority owner Mark Davis and general manager John Spytek.
Mendoza completed 72% of his throws for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns with six interceptions last season, showed his potential with a twisting highlight-reel scoring run late in the title game and defeated a series of football powerhouses – Ohio State, alabama, oregon and Miami – en route to securing Indiana’s first outright Big Ten title and the school’s first national football title since 1945.
At February’s NFL Scouting Combine, Mendoza skipped workouts, and he only participated in a throwing session on Wednesday. But with Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti watching and bright television lights in the corners of the end zones, Mendoza would have shown how determined he is to excel as a professional away from the field.
He weighed 236 pounds – 11 pounds more than his listed playing weight. He looked stronger and more capable of avoiding big hits from the NFL’s heavier, faster pass rushers.
But Mendoza also said he’s far from a finished product.
“I’m putting all my efforts into trying to be the best quarterback I can be for the season,” he said. “But I know at the next level, there’s going to be a lot of snaps under center, and that’s a big adjustment. I’ve got to get used to it and the nature of the game. Not only that, Hash [marks] are more intense and the pace of play is faster. So, I’m looking forward to learning all those things.”
Mendoza said he has already met with the Raiders twice, once at the combine and again over a videoconference, and he has an additional meeting scheduled before the draft clock heads to Las Vegas on April 23. Now he can only wait, although Pro Day gives him another chance to cherish this last college season.
“You have to take a second to realize what we’ve all accomplished here together,” Mendoza said, referring to his teammates. “It was a little bit of a gratitude moment seeing those guys and really seeing the special moments we had with each guy. It’s unlikely we’ll all be playing on the same team again, but hopefully, I’ll get a chance to play against and with some of those guys again.”
