Tom Brady Praises Heisman Winner Fernando Mendoza's NFL Potential on FS1

Story by

Antonio G Losada

Sat, Jan 24, 2026 ·

3 min read

The Las Vegas Raiders entered the offseason in control of the No. 1 overall pick, holding the keys to the 2026 NFL Draft.

After finishing the season 3–14 and earning the first selection in the upcoming draft due to tiebreaks, all eyes have shifted to Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza , who capped off a historic season by winning the Heisman Trophy and leading the Hoosiers to a 16–0 national championship run.

On Friday, Mendoza made his decision to enter the 2026 NFL Draft official, announcing it on his social media accounts.

Among those closely evaluating Mendoza’s potential is NFL legend and current Raiders minority owner Tom Brady , who has maintained dual roles as both a Fox Sports analyst and a decision-maker within the franchise’s front office.

Brady attended Indiana’s national title win in Miami on Monday and publicly discussed Mendoza’s performance, season and NFL future on FS1’s “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” on Friday.

Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) smiles on the podium after the College Football Playoff National Championship game victory over the Miami Hurricanes.© Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
(© Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Brady described Mendoza’s play throughout the year as “tremendous,” calling him “a very mature young man” with “a bright future.”

"He's played tremendous all season," Brady said. "Sixteen and Oh, leading his team. He's another guy that when you hear him speak — I always kind of judge quarterbacks, I go, ‘How would I have answered that?’ — and he's just a very mature young man. He's got a bright future.

"Everybody coming into the league, there's still so much room for development. Nobody's a finished product."

Brady emphasized the importance of character and work ethic when evaluating young quarterbacks, saying he looks for players who are “obsessed” with improving and “obsessed with the job.”

“All these young prospects, I hope they go to environments that embrace them completely, that can help them develop into the best player they can be,” Brady said. “That’s how I grew up in the league.”

While Brady didn’t confirm Mendoza would be the Raiders’ selection in April, he acknowledged evaluating traits like performance under pressure, decision-making in tough conditions and demeanor in high-stakes moments.

Mendoza surely fits most of those requirements, with his most-recent high-pressure moment coming late in the game against the Miami Hurricanes when he carried the ball for the a key fourth-quarter touchdown .

The Raiders have a veteran in quarterback Geno Smith under contract through 2027, but hold a potential out after next season.

With needs across the roster and substantial cap space available, Las Vegas will weigh whether to build around Mendoza or leverage the pick for assets, although the consensus opinion is they will bet on the Hoosiers' signal-caller come April 23.

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.