Fernando Mendoza is the near consensus top quarterback in the 2026 draft, and the expectation is that the Indiana quarterback will be drafted by the Raiders with the no. 1 pick.
The majority of analysts have raved about Mendoza in recent weeks, but a few have dug in and haven’t been ready to crown the Heisman winner just yet.
Among that group is FOX Sports analyst Bucky Brooks, who shared some of his lingering concerns around Mendoza on Sunday.
Here are Brooks’ comments alongside co-host Andy Furman on FOX Sports Radio…
“There are Raiders fans that are ready to have a coronation about him being the next great quarterback. The next great quarterback to save the franchise.
In this [national championship game], what I hope for outside of a good game is I hope that [Mendoza] is tested a little bit in terms of [Indiana has] always kind of been able to dictate the terms. If you think about Indiana, they’ve always played ahead, they’ve been blowing out opponents and those things. I want to see what [Mendoza] looks like when it isn’t perfect for him, when it’s not a thing where he can just throw to the first read and he has to get to a second and third, when they are able to change the picture on this and everything systematically isn’t humming.
I know people are raving about his playoff stats, completing 86 percent of his passes 369 yards over two games, 8 touchdowns. That’s great, but and if you divide that up, most of the time when we talk about a quarterback, we wouldn’t go crazy over a quarterback having only 180-plus yards per game on average. That normally wouldn’t be something that we’re raving about or selling the celebrating.
We were talking about the efficiency being great, the effectiveness, but what we would also say is like, ‘Man, can he run it on his own? Put it on his shoulders? You remember the conversation a little bit about J.J. McCarthy was, ‘Hey, can he put it on his back because he didn’t throw a ton?
Well, for Fernando, there’s some of that. Even though look, without question, he’s QB1 in this class and I don’t even know who QB2 is and if QB2 is a first rounder, but the conversation about him, you still kind of want to continue to see him prove that he’s worthy of being celebrated as a first pick in the draft.”
The Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vinny Bonsignore talked about Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore last week and he believes both quarterbacks would have been drafted ahead of the Titans’ Cam Ward if the 2025 no. 1 pick was in this year’s draft class.
“I think it would be Fernando Mendoza or Dante Moore above Cam. They’re both better than Cam Ward. That’s without question,” Bonsignore said on the Vegas Nation First and 10 podcast.
By the time the draft rolled around a year ago, Ward was the top quarterback on just about everyone’s draft board (except Mel Kiper), so it’s no small statement by Bonsignore to put Mendoza and Moore in a tier above Ward.
Moore has still not announced his decision on the draft and could return to Oregon in 2026.
x: @raidersbeat
I would like to see Miami win next week and yeah I’d like to more progress in reads , plus he has a lot of single read & run in his game.
But he also figures out where to go with the ball quick & is accurate. Against Oregon when the game was still competitive he was converting 3rd downs due to accuracy & processing the play. Brooks is right that the NFL won’t be this clean for him but knowing how to read coverages & the accuracy is plenty to build on
Looking for that tough Miami defense to give Mendoza a good test, so we can see how he handles adversity.
Bucky Brooks is a Moron! Fernando is the obvious number 1Pick !
If our Raiders don’t select Fernando Mendoza with the number one pick Raider Nation could revolt!
You’re right about that. There will be an exodus of long suffering Raider fans!
Bucky Brooks is a moron. Mendoza is and should be the only consideration at 1 for the Raiders. Indiana blows people out not because of not being tested but because they never stop. They want a touchdown on every possession. They are able to do this precisely because Mendoza is really that efficient in the way he operates.
I haven’t seen another QB this efficient in many years. To throw 5 td’s in 17 completions is astounding. To have more touchdown passes than incompletions is astounding. To do it on a national stage with the pressure and everything on the line is remarkable.
There is nothing to criticize. Yet, Brooks still does for some reason.
The level of racism coming from black sportscasters this season has been off the charts. Most people are too stupid to see it. To have an entire crew of blacks evaluate the Eagles vs. Bills game and have every one of them say the Eagles have the advantage at QB is pure stupidity.
Shocking, right? Well, maybe not.
It is always Tribal never has changed for 1000’s of years, so Bucky, Buck off
I get Bucky’s points. But Mendoza makes the plays when it matters and doesn’t make too many errant throws. No, he isn’t asked to carry the team, so that’s one point that will need to be evaluated. But, there isn’t any doubt that he’s the best QB in this draft AND we need a young QB prospect, desperately! I don’t think the team should overthink this, and should select him with the first pick. Mendoza, Jeanty, and Bowers, now that’s exciting!
Notice how Bucky doesn’t say who he’d draft over Mendoza? Without a name he’s just flappin’ his lips.