IU's Mendoza aces his Pro Day; what did you expect?
And it wasn't just Mendoza, either. Several Hoosiers helped their stock during a jam-packed session in front of all 32 NFL teams and more than 100 media representatives down in Bloomington.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — On the IU Pro Day during which Fernando Mendoza re-confirmed his status as the No. 1 overall draft choice to the Las Vegas Raiders, the football hit the Mellencamp Pavilion turf just three times during a 20-minute long, 56-pass throwing session. Two passes were dropped. One, a bomb to Elijah Sarratt, fell a half step beyond the IU (and soon to be pro) receiver.
As expected, Mendoza has absolutely aced the pre-draft portion of the schedule, passed the audition with flying colors. Not only did he throw the ball the way he threw it all season, he gained roughly 10 pounds of muscle, weighing in at 238 pounds. Some guys, they win the Heisman and/or they win the national title, they go on the rubber chicken circuit and lose their physical edge. Mendoza did not, and nobody is surprised.
We didn’t have a chance to talk to Raiders GM John Spytek, but I’ve got to think that he and the Raiders staff saw everything they expected to see, a young man in full control of his destiny. Mendoza didn’t just throw accurately to his fellow IU teammates, he did something long-time Pro Day observers have never before seen: Before each throw, Mendoza called out the receiver’s name and the type of route that was being run, presumably to help guide attention to his pass-catching teammates, which included likely first rounder Omar Cooper, Jr, second-day choice Sarratt and later-round pickup Riley Nowakowski.
“Never saw a QB during his pro day call out each receiver by name and announce what the route would be before he ran it during the entire workout like Mendoza did,” TV analyst Louis Riddick wrote on X after observing the throwing session in person. “Every route. WR’s, TE’s, RB’s. Seems insignificant but it’s not. It was his show, in collaboration with his pass catchers. A certain GM was paying attention and noticed. One that is going to pick him.
“Everything matters.”
We talked briefly with Mendoza after his session and interviews with NFL Network, which was airing IU’s unusually well-attended Pro Day, which included representatives from all 32 NFL teams, 10 members of the Raiders’ organization and an overflow contingent of more than 100 media folks. He was, well, typical Mendoza.
“The main goal today was to serve my teammates and I think I was able to do that, be able to put them in a position where they’re able to make plays, show what they got, and very excited for them in the future,” he said. “…I felt like it went great. We have nine eligible guys coming out for the draft, which is a lot more than normal…I just wanted to make sure everybody could showcase their abilities in front of all 32 NFL teams and really run routes that are applicable to the timing that we’re going to be running in the NFL. So I think everybody was showcased. It was amazing and it was great being back in Bloomington one more time without guys after such a fantastic finish (to the season).”
Typical Mendoza. They’re going to love him in Vegas. Look past some of the quirkiness – it’s a good quirkiness, mind you – and you’ll find as earnest a soul as you’ll ever meet. His teammates and his new city are going to embrace him with uncommon ardor.
Compare that to the last time the Raiders selected a quarterback No. 1 overall. His name was JaMarcus Russell. The year was 2007. And he was one of the biggest busts in NFL history. Maybe the biggest.
