It feels like groups from across the NFL have accepted that the Las Vegas Raiders will make Indiana Hoosiers star quarterback Fernando Mendoza the primary general decide of the 2026 draft on the night time of April 23.
Throughout a sit-down interview with NFL insider Aditi Kinkhabwala of CBS Sports activities on Friday, Mendoza was requested to disclose “probably the most weird query” he heard whereas talking with groups through the ongoing scouting mix. He hilariously shared that moving into authorized bother might not maintain at the least one membership from grabbing him within the first spherical of the player-selection course of.
NFL workforce needs Fernando Mendoza to tank his personal draft inventory
“It was: ‘Hey, perhaps you need to get arrested,'” Mendoza responded. “I used to be a bit confused.”
Mendoza later acknowledged that the workforce merely wished him to get arrested in order that he would slide down the draft order in April. Whereas he would not identify that membership, he did say he did not have a proper interview with the group this week.
On paper, the New York Jets (decide No. 2), Arizona Cardinals (No. 3), Cleveland Browns (No. 6), Miami Dolphins (No. 11), Minnesota Vikings (No. 18) and Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 21) are among the many groups that theoretically may put aside some bail cash with Mendoza in thoughts, simply in case. Sadly for them, there’s no indication he will likely be something however a mannequin citizen over the following two months.
What Fernando Mendoza needs to study from Tom Brady
Earlier within the day, Mendoza made it clear that he’s wanting ahead to receiving some steering from seven-time Tremendous Bowl champion and Raiders minority proprietor Tom Brady. Throughout their chat, Kinkhabwala asked (across the 9:30 mark) Mendoza what he hopes to study from Brady later this yr.
“His system and his self-discipline,” Mendoza answered. “The way in which that he has a system, the ‘TB12 Method.’ I’ve already learn the book. All the things that he is all about is one thing I’ve all the time emulated as a soccer participant. And at any time when the teaching workers says, ‘Hey, Fernando. We want you to get higher at this, this and that,’ I will be like, ‘Hey, Tom. How do I get higher at this, this and that?'”
One can not help however marvel if Mendoza has already embraced the strict in-season diet that Brady caught to all through the second half of his once-in-a-generation profession.
