Tom Brady Reveals First Impressions of Fernando Mendoza

Indiana University quarterback Fernando Mendoza has his name written all over the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders hold the first overall pick, and there is no doubt that Mendoza is the favorite to get picked by the Raiders at the top of the 2026 NFL Draft. It makes total sense.

The Raiders are searching for their next franchise quarterback, and Mendoza is there for the taking. That is going to be talked about all offseason and leading up to draft day.

Mendoza is the best player coming out of College Football. He is the best quarterback coming out as well. He does much more than just lead on the football field.

He makes sure he knows every teammate's name and knows how to create a special connection with any of his teammates as well. Mendoza is the right pick for the Silver and Black, and the Raiders really like what they see from this player and what he brings to the table.

Indiana's Fernando Mendoza (15) gets loose before the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tom Brady on Fernando Mendoza

“This is the reality, I’ve only seen him kind of one game in person, in the national championship game. I watched a little bit of the Ohio State game. He's an impressive young man," said Tom Brady on SiriusXM NFL Radio.

"What do I really value? When I see him and he talks about his teammates. When he wins the Heisman Trophy and he's praising everybody else. That's an endearing quality for a great leader. You know, everybody, like I said, will be able to throw the ball. Can you run?"

"All that stuff that's really overhyped and overvalued, because honestly, when you go on TV, they don't know how to value these things. When you talk about the Combine, the misevaluation through scouts and personnel people is rampant. You think they always make good choices? No, they don't. So I have to look at it how I value it, and the things that I've watched over a period of time. What does my expertise show me?"

Las Vegas Raiders minority owner Tom Brady | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

"Well, it shows me that the mental emotional part is the most sustainable trait throughout. So if you can find someone that has a mental and emotional baseline, and that ceiling is incredibly high, I think with a work ethic you can improve a lot of physical skill sets. And I don't think this is just about quarterbacks, I think it's about all positions, but again, it comes down to selecting the right people that fit your program and fit the values of what you're trying to make the organization all about.”

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