Is Mendoza best player in 2026 NFL Draft class?
Connor Rogers and Chris Simms talk about all things Fernando Mendoza, explaining why the star quarterback "is being a little disrespected in this conversation" and deserves credit for his historic success in college.
Video Transcript
All right, let's get into it.
We're gonna introduce Chris's number one overall prospect as the This Changes Everything moment, brought to you by Universal Orlando Resort, who's changing everything you know about vacations.
The number one player in the draft, Chris, Fernando Mendoza- Yeah for you.
So let me just start with this.
Right.
Is there a quarterback curve?
Well, a little bit, definitely.
Right.
I- There, there is, yeah.
Yeah.
I, I, I played that angle- Yeah certainly throughout this year.
Now, you know, there's times where, the curve out-beats the talent, or the talent out-beats the curve- Yeah to a degree here.
But, but yeah, not only is it the quarterback curve, I also just feel like he's being a little disrespected in this conversation.
I, I just feel like And, and I know you've got him up there.
I don't even know where you have him.
What do you got him?
I got him third.
Three.
Right.
Okay, so- I only have him behind Jeremiah Love and Caleb Williams.
Well, and they're phenomenal- Yeah so I, I understand that.
But I What I also would say, to push back against you or anybody out there, is I just, like And again, this is just me being, like, Mr Push Back Against the Narrative kinda guy here- Oh, that's fair where I just wanna go, like, he Indiana was not heard of.
If he was cool like Joe Burrow- That's a good point or had some Everybody'd be like, "Oh my gosh, this is amazing.
He's the number one pick.
Unbelievable."
Right?
But because he's, like, this good little school boy that people perceive as a nerd, I feel like everyone's like, "Well, I can't make him the number one pick."
And I just That, that's where I just fight against it.
Again, I just feel like if it was a little cooler of a emblem on the helmet, and he was viewed as a little cooler of a person, and, and had- And he's a cannabis dealer.
Well, yeah, something like that.
Or if he was into fashion or whatever.
I feel like it'd be like, "No doubt."
But because there's this, oh, he's kind of a dorky, nerdy guy, we're not gonna make the guy that's, like, the slam dunk number one, and got no issues in his game, no flaws, all that.
So, yeah, he's my number one, and I think he's worthy of it, even despite the quarterback curve of that.
I got about as less questions about this guy- Yeah as, as I've had as, as any quarterback's in a long, long time.
I think what's fair, too, for people that rank him number one like you is, who is the guy in the draft that changes the fr- a franchise the most on their own?
There's an argument it is Fernando Mendoza.
Sure.
There's a really good argument it's Fernando Mendoza.
Sure.
'Cause he's If he's even a good quarterback, right- Yeah, it does so much- this is what's interesting for the organization.
If Fernando Mendoza is a top 15 quarterback, but Jeremiah Love is a top three running back, who has the bigger impact?
I don't know the answer.
Yeah.
But I, I would have to really, like, think about it.
Right.
But I think it's That's the difference of a quarterback and a running back.
True.
True.
So, 'cause I'm trying to think of, like, Dak Prescott's probably, what, the 12th best quarterback in the NFL?
Yeah, he's somewhere in that range.
He's just totally off the top of my head.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, sure, 8 to 12, let's just say.
Yeah, right in there.
So if you were a team without a quarterback and without a running back, would you rather have Dak Prescott or Bijan Robinson?
Yeah, right.
You're right.
I'm, I'm gonna go probably Dak Prescott.
Yes.
Yeah.
No, I hear you.
That's, that's kind of the combo here.
I hear you.
You're right.
It's weird.
It's hard to quantify.
Yes.
But- Yeah that's when what makes rankings g- generally just difficult.
There, there's at some point you'd get down the line along enough past Dak Prescott where I'd go, "No, no, I want Jeremiah Love."
But there is a group of guys to go, "Wait, no, no.
For this position, I would take them, even though I think Jeremiah Love is maybe a better prospect.
We need this position," because this gives the team belief, the city belief.
It gives good vibes and aura throughout the organization, and that's why we talk about, you know, again, the importance of the quarterback and, and what they can do for a football team.
Coach Cam Jay said, "As a Vikings fan, I would absolutely rather have Dak Prescott."
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's a team that you could argue that may not have a quarterback and a running back right now.
Exactly right.
Exactly.
Or at least on the higher end.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I appreciate this one from Almo Taysom.
"Connor, as a 27-year-old Raiders fan dealing with nothing but dysfunction all my life, I wish there was two Fernandos."
"One for the Raiders, one for the Jets."
Yeah.
Well, and you know, Fernando, again, I think to your point here, he gives the gonna give the whole organization hope here.
Yep.
And then now you got a offensive coach who goes, "Oh, hey, I'm gonna be able to run my offense and then some for years and years," 'cause this guy can do it all physically, mentally, and that's where, you know, it really, it, it'll, it'll should match up in a big time way for the, the Los, Las Vegas Raiders.
MSP Ann Arbor, "You guys rule in all conceivable ways.
I'd love to hear you gentlemen rank the top players in each position group against players in the last couple classes.
#yoyoyo" So basically, and I think we might've done this during quarterbacks, but to rehash, Fernando Mendoza versus your other number ones.
Ooh.
Cam Ward, Caleb Williams, C.J.
Stroud have been your last three number ones.
Yeah.
I'm definitely going Caleb Williams over everybody, just so everybody knows.
Yeah, you loved him.
You know I love Caleb Williams.
Yep.
I mean, and, and I think this year everybody can understand why.
Yeah.
Not saying I'm right yet still, but he showed that- He's looking good you know, he's looking good, right?
I think that, this would be close here.
I, I Honestly, I loved C.J.
Stroud coming out.
Yeah.
I really did.
I was amazed with C.J.
Stroud.
You know, I think Mendoza and Ca- So I think I probably would've gone C.J.
Stroud over Mendoza.
Mendoza and Cam Ward I think would've been close to me.
I did have some questions about Cam Ward, right?
Right.
To where I maybe might've gone Mendoza over Cam Ward, even though, gosh, I do love Cam Ward a lot, and I love his ability to throw the ball all those different ways.
That's what he does have over Mendoza.
Mendoza can throw it different ways, but just not quite as, like, what Cam Ward can.
So I guess that would be my answer.
I'd probably If I'm trying to be true to where I was at the time of I ranked these guys, I feel like, yeah, I was in love with C.J.
Stroud.
I was beyond in love with Caleb Williams.
yeah, so I feel like those two I'd go over Mendoza.
Cam Ward, I feel like I probably would've gone Mendoza over Cam Ward
