ESPN says Fernando Mendoza not even close to being college football's best player

Opinions about college football greatness can be contentious. If there ever was a doubt, consider Diego Pavia's bizarre behavior after finishing No. 2 in the Heisman Trophy race. But ESPN might have opened up its own can of worms with a ranking of the best players in the 2025 College Football Playoff field.

ESPN's ranking

ESPN acknowledged the difficulty of the task, and stated that the task was not only to identify the best players or the biggest names on the best teams, but to name the overall best players, the ones with a chance to define the postseason. And the most talented of those players? It's not Fernando Mendoza.

ESPN's most talented player

If we're ranking based on talent alone, there's a good argument that no player comes close to matching [Jeremiah] Smith's ability.... Smith commands double-teams constantly, draws the attention of everyone's best corner, and has every defensive coordinator he faces scheming to slow him down. And none of it has mattered. Smith continues to produce big play after big play
David Hale, ESPN

Smith's resume

It is virtually unarguable that the outstanding sophomore Ohio State wide receiver is the nation's most explosive player. He didn't get a Heisman Finalist spot, but his 80 catches for 1,086 yards and 11 touchdowns attest to consistently game-breaking talent. Smith was the vital cog in an efficient and stout Ohio State offense.

But the best player?

But funny enough, despite the praise for Smith, ESPN then doubled back... and chose Mendoza as their best player anyway. "The Heisman winner has to top the list," wrote Hale. As the grounds for ultimately picking Mendoza over Smith, Hale noted his brilliant season and the elevation of Indiana to previously unknown heights.

Mendoza's credentials

Indiana hadn't put together a top 10 season since 1967, which was also the last time the Hoosiers won a Big Ten title. But the California transfer has smoothly directed a brilliant campaign, passing for 2,980 yards and 33 touchdowns with 240 yards and six more rushing scores. Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy on the basis of his impressive play and his significance in Indiana's rise.

So even if Smith is indeed the most purely talented player in college football, Mendoza is the player ESPN ultimately judged "best" in analyzing the CFP field. If that seems a bit inconsistent, it's because the Playoff is a unique combination of talent, situation, and luck. Maybe the ultimate winner of Mendoza vs. Smith should be determined on the field.