The NFL season may have ended, but football never truly stops. Once the Super Bowl is in the rearview mirror, teams will set up camp in Indianapolis for the annual NFL Scouting Combine.
In what has become a yearly tradition, Fernando Mendoza, the projected No. 1 pick, has elected not to throw at the combine.
The Indiana star is all but guaranteed to go first overall to the Las Vegas Raiders, and there’s little to no upside in participating in some of the drills.
However, that’s not the only reason why he’s made that decision. As he revealed in an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Mendoza intends to throw at the Hoosiers’ pro day to elevate his teammate’s draft stock.
Fernando Mendoza wants to give his teammates a hand
“At the combine, you’re throwing to different receivers, it’s a whole different thing,” Mendoza admitted, per ESPN. “And I want to make sure I give my guys the best chance. I want to throw at pro day with my guys, with my running backs, and be there with the boys.”
The reigning Heisman trophy winner admitted that throwing at the combine simply wasn’t a priority for him.
“The combine, I don’t think throwing’s going to be a priority just because it’s such a quick turnaround,” he added.
The quarterback class of 2026 was once considered one of the most stacked in recent years. Then, prospects like Arch Manning — who didn’t declare for the NFL Draft — Drew Allar, Garrett Nussmeier and Cade Klubnik had somewhat disappointing campaigns.
Mendoza has drawn mixed reviews as a potential franchise quarterback, but given the Raiders’ imperious need for a signal-caller and him being way above the rest of the pack, it’s hard to envision a scenario where he’s not the first player off the board come April 23.