Accolades: 2025 Heisman Winner, National Champion, 1st Team Consensus All-American, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Big Ten POTY. 

Stats: 3,535 passing yards, 72% completion, 41 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 276 rushing yards, 7 touchdowns

Games Watched: Oregon (Both), Iowa, Illinois, Miami, Penn State

4th and 5. National Championship. Hometown hero. Give him the football.

Fernando Mendoza is a BALL player. It’s not exaggerated, it’s not a media narrative, and he’s my favorite QB prospect since Joe Burrow. His arm isn’t as talented as a Caleb Williams, but the command he has at the position is rare for a rookie.

Pros? It starts with decision-making. He’s able to decide where he wants to go with the football without forcing a risky ball. And if the first read isn’t there, he’s able to read the levels of the defense with anticipation. Velocity and accuracy are his calling cards. Everyone’s seen the game-winning throw vs. Penn State, and my favorite stat is that he had 9 touchdowns to a mere 16 incompletions throughout the CFP.

His cerebral movements are complemented by athleticism, which often gets overlooked. At 6’5”, 225 lbs, he’s able to make a play when his team needs it. I would compare it to Justin Herbert. He’s not going to break any records, but he can easily rack up 50 yards and a clutch run on any given Sunday.

His deep-ball touch is one of my two cons. Anytime he’s throwing the football 20+ yards downfield, he can occasionally sacrifice touch for accuracy. This leads to underthrows, including a pick-six vs. Oregon in the regular season. The only other con I have with his game is pocket presence. Specifically, the ability to step up in the pocket and make a throw. I believe this is something that would elevate his game to another stratosphere.

I go over his pros and cons in depth in the video below:

TL;DR – Fernando Mendoza is worth the hype, and Vegas should roll the dice on him. A three-headed monster with him, Jeanty, and Bowers will give the AFC West headaches for years to come.