Fernando Mendoza Explains Why Skipping the NFL Draft Could Be “Perfect”

I would say the perfect Cuban dish is a pangote.

No, actually no, sorry, it's my language.

I'm gonna build my perfect NFL quarterback.

First, I'm gonna go football IQ.

I would say Peyton Manning, who was so short of the game, who get up the line of scrimmage and essentially call his own play every single play.

Field vision, says Tom Brady, just the way that he commanded the field, the leadership, the way he was able to have instincts and check the play, that is very special.

Arm strength, probably Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes.

Arm talent overall though, I would say Aaron Rodgers.

Size also give to Josh Allen.

Mobility, guy from South Florida, Lamar, it's like myself, although we don't have the same mobility, characteristics, and accuracy, Drew Brees.

In the NFL, the closest thing that I've seen to a perfect wide receiver has to be something along the lines of a Megatron, Calvin Johnson, or Randy Moss, and Jerry Rice, all those guys who are big, fast, had secure hands, and also great routes, and they're able to get out of their breaks really efficiently with acceleration.

I think those are the big four attributes to be a perfect wide receiver.

I would say the most perfect throw I've made in my career has to be in a 2-minute drill against Stanford, my red shirt sophomore year.

We were driving down the field , and they call cover zero and all out blitz, and I was able to back up and throw the ball right over the defender to my guy who had outreached arms, Jonathan Brady, made a great catch, and usually with those deep balls or kind of deeper balls, you want to put more air on it.

And I didn't put air on it, so it had to be a perfect ball and it was a perfect ball, perfect catch, and perfect touchdown.

The most perfect 2-minute drill I've ever run has to be against Penn State this year.

We're down 4 points, and the first play around was like, I think 1 minute left, and I took a sack.

If you take a sack, that is like sabotaging your own drive, however, the team and the offense was able to climb back all the way to the last play where I was able to throw just a lofter pass to a guy Omar Cooper Junior, who made a fantastic toe tapping catch.

So the perfect play call in the huddle definitely consists of you looking at the specific players, when you say the responsibilities.

For example, if I'm going fine to dual right.

Hammer red, H thumb, I dig, a one on one, ready?

I'm looking at specific players.

I'm looking at the H, I'm looking at the L.

I'm looking at the offensive line when I'm saying the protection hammer.

And in that essence, I'm able to get my message across, especially when it's a loud environment.

And so I think it just comes off with intentionality and purpose.

And that was also a play we hit against Alabama in the Rose Bowl.

That was a big game.

I think the perfect NFL draft night for me is to be there with my entire family and extended family.

Because although I've got it to this point, it takes a village.

I'm so grateful and thankful.

I've had so many great role models, mentors, parents in my life that have allowed me to get to this point.

I want to be able to celebrate them and celebrate their moment because they have poured into me and allowed our entire family to get to this moment.

I think the perfect rookie season for me would be the best version of me that I can become, and best serve my teammates , best serve my coaches, and best serve whatever organization and fan base I'm a part of.

I would say a perfect Hoosier tradition would be the Little 500.

It's a mimic of the NASCAR 500 race in the Indy 500, and they have all the basically the frats and the sororities , they'll have races around the track, and they're going round and round and round.

People train all year for it.

It's very intense.

Everybody shows out and shows up, and it's just a big thing of Hoosier pride, and just such a great tradition centered around this is a big, it's honestly like a big party week, which is amazing.

I think the perfect fit is something very monotone, where it's not a lot of colors going on.

It's something classy and comfortable.

Those are my two big things for the perfect fit.

I think the perfect financial investment is investment, is an investment in yourself.

If you invest in yourself and things that are gonna help you move forward in your career, things that are gonna help your well-being, help your family.

I believe those are the best investments.

That return can multiply tenfold rather than, you know, any stock or any of those other investments.

I would say there's a lot of perfect hype songs, Erase Your Social by Lil Uzi Vert, especially because I like to think of myself as an underdog, and I'm still have an underdog mentality where I want to be the hunter, not the hunted, and it depicts, you know, coming from the bottom and essentially going to the top and trying through that journey.

I believe a perfect sports movie is greater.

It's a football movie.

I also love Remember the Titans, but I believe Greater is a great movie that always brings a tear to my eye.

Ha I think the perfect postgame speech is first of all, always giving thanks to God and Jesus Christ.

And then I think it's also spreading the love around, spreading the love of the offensive linemen, to the teammates, to the coaches.

Although they you have the microphone in your face, it's a team sport.

And it takes so much and it really kind of give joy and show your authentic self with emotion is also a huge part of it.

I would say the perfect Cuban dish is a panco de chon, which is a pork sandwich.

It has onions in, it has like these little fries inside, a little chips.

It's so good, with a side of a ros con frijoles, which is rice and beans, and another side of platanos with any hugo, so I like pineapple juice.

I would say the perfect day off has to start with going to the facility, some stretching, some mobility work, to feel like you're productive in a sense.

And then after that, I would say doing something fun and activity like spikeball with the boys, or pickleball or something like along those lines, and then going to dinner at the end, capping it off with a movie, talk about it after.

It's always a great experience.

I would say the perfect mother is unique to everybody.

I believe everybody can have a perfect mother.

However, my mother is perfect for me, as she's my light , she's my inspiration, she's my why.

I love her so much and I'm so thankful for her.

And for her to be able to mold me through the, the ups and downs is so special, and I just love her.

This is Fernando Mendoza, and you're watching Sports Illustrated.