Fernando Mendoza in NFL draft: Should QB be Raiders' starter on Day 1?
With the NFL Draft approaching, the USA TODAY Florida Network is looking at questions concerning players from Florida high schools.
The closer the NFL draft gets, the louder the questions and arguments get. And it’s not just Player A vs. Player B, or if a team should stay put or move down in the draft .
Sometimes the questions have to do with individual players and what attributes prospective teams should be focused on. WE SAW IT COMING: NFL draft prospects from Florida: Our evaluations from high school days Are Rueben Bain Jr. ’s arms too short to be a true impact edge rusher?
Should the fact that Akheem Mesidor will be a 25-year-old rookie matter? With the 2026 NFL Draft approaching, the USA TODAY Florida Network is looking at questions concerning players from Florida high schools. Should Fernando Mendoza be the Raiders starter in Week 1?
Background: The 6-foot-4¾, 236-pound Mendoza graduated from Cristopher Columbus High School in Miami. A three-star recruit in the 2022 class, Mendoza was ranked the 250th recruit in the state by 247Sports. He since won the Heisman Trophy, Associated Press Player of the Year, Walter Camp Award, Davey O'Brien Award and Maxwell Award in 2025 when he led Indiana to its first national championship.