5) Mendoza eyeing all-time great as possible mentor. Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza is the overwhelming favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft of the Las Vegas Raiders, but he said Friday at the combine that he’d be happy being selected anywhere.
“I know (the Raiders) have the No. 1 pick, but anything can happen in the draft,” Mendoza said. “Excited for the opportunity and whatever team drafts me, I am going to give everything I got to them.”
Mendoza added: “I’m just trying to be the best me possible, and whatever team drafts me, I’m grateful, whether it’s the No. 1 pick, or whether it’s, you know, the 199th pick.”
If that draft placement sounds familiar, it’s because it was the famous landing spot of Tom Brady in the 2000 NFL Draft — the same Brady who is a minority owner of the Raiders. During Mendoza’s formal combine interview with the Raiders, he said he was able to say “a brief hi” to Brady on the phone, and that he’d love to one day meet Brady in person.
Mendoza’s appreciation for Brady is strong, and the quarterback would relish the chance to work with the future Hall of Famer.
“Yeah, I mean, who hasn’t admired Tom Brady? I mean, more Super Bowl rings than anybody … anybody!” Mendoza said. “So, that opportunity would be fantastic. Tom Brady, I believe, is the greatest quarterback of all time — by a wide margin — and to be able to have the opportunity to be mentored by him, would … mean so much.
“Especially to learn, and I’m all about learning. So from Day 1, you know, I’ve got to learn a lot. It’s gonna be a long journey, and to potentially have a mentor like that, it would be pretty impressive and pretty meaningful.”
