Why One NFL Team Told Fernando Mendoza They Hope He Gets Arrested Before NFL Draft

Fernando Mendoza is at the NFL combine this week in Indianapolis. | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

Former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is in Indianapolis this week for the NFL combine. While the expected No. 1 pick won’t be taking part in the throwing drills he has spent some of his time talking with teams ahead of April’s draft.

During meetings with teams at the combine, prospects are often asked a number of weird questions and are told a lot of strange things from coaches and team executives as they hope to learn more about each player.

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Mendoza, who spoke Friday at the combine about his “very special” conversation with Raiders minority owner Tom Brady, shared that one team jokingly told him that they hope he gets arrested before the draft so that he could slide down to them.

He had this to say to CBS’s Aditi Kinkhabwala when asked for the most bizarre question he’s been asked this week by a team.

"It was: 'Hey, maybe you should get arrested.' I was a little confused, but then it was like to slide [in the draft],” Mendoza said. “Hopefully I don’t get arrested.” 

Here’s that moment, with Mendoza adding that it wasn’t a team that he had a formal meeting with:

The most bizarre question that Fernando Mendoza has been asked during his draft interviews

"It was: 'Hey, maybe you should get arrested.' I was a little confused, but then it was like to slide."

🎤: @AKinkhabwala pic.twitter.com/33RaeHkaPT

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) February 27, 2026

Fernando Mendoza expected to be No. 1 pick in NFL draft

Mendoza led the Indiana Hoosiers to their first national title in program history this past season and also won the Heisman Trophy. Now he’s expected to be taken by Brady and the Raiders with the No. 1 pick in the draft.

He had a subtle line about Brady when asked how he’d feel if any teams passed on him in the draft.

“There’d be no hard feelings,” he said, via Fox Sports’ Henry McKenna. “I’m just grateful for whatever team drafts me whether it’s the No. 1 pick or the 199th pick.”

Brady, of course, was picked 199th in the 2000 NFL draft by the Patriots.

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