Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza's 'Biggest Flaw' Revealed Before NFL Draft
· Yahoo Sports
There are less than two months remaining until the 2026 NFL Draft arrives. For Indiana Hoosiers star quarterback Fernando Mendoza, that waiting period will likely end with the Las Vegas Raiders selecting him with the No. 1 overall pick.
Mendoza is coming off of a season that most college quarterback's can only dream of having. He won the Heisman Trophy and capped off the impressive year with a National Championship win.
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Now, he's headed off to make his dream of becoming an NFL quarterback a reality.
While most of the news and talk coming out about Mendoza is positive, there are always analysts coming out with negative things. Keeping that in mind, Mendoza's "biggest flaw" was recently revealed by one NFL analyst.
The Athletic's Ted Nguyen recently spoke out about his biggest concern in Mendoza's game.
"The biggest flaw in his game is a tendency to hold the ball while not sensing backside pressure," Nguyen said.
"There were times he had open receivers downfield or his check-down open, and he would hesitate and take a sack. His negative play rate — something that tends to be difficult to improve on in the pros — is a red flag. ...He has to realize that he won’t be able to use his legs as much in the NFL. He’ll have to get rid of the ball quickly more consistently."
Granted, there are some areas that Mendoza will need to improve in the NFL. However, there are few quarterback prospects in recent draft history who have looked more the part of a franchise quarterback than the Indiana standout.
Throughout the course of the 2025 college football season with the Hoosiers, Mendoza consistently picked defenses apart with his arm. He also gouged defenses with his ability to utilize his legs.
When all was said and done, Mendoza completed 72 percent of his passes for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. He also chipped in with 276 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
Despite any negative outside noise, Mendoza is about to embark on what many expect will be a long and successful NFL career. The start to that professional career can't get here soon enough.