A return of our Summer Scouting Series here at Steelers Depot. We highlight 2026 NFL Draft hopefuls who are generating buzz before the start of the 2025 CFB season at positions that the Pittsburgh Steelers may be interested in several months from now, once the pre-draft process really gets underway.
FERNANDO MENDOZA, QB, INDIANA (R-JUNIOR) — 6-5, 225 POUNDS
THE GOOD
— Has the height and size of a prototypical starting NFL quarterback
— Good athlete that can scramble and gash defenses with his legs
— Ability to maneuver the pocket stands out on tape
— Manages to evade pressure while keeping his eyes downfield
— Capable of extending the play with his legs
— Can throw on the run and make off-platform throws
— Has a live arm that can stretch the field vertically
— Can put the ball on his man while getting smacked in the pocket
— Makes some crazy tight window throws on film
— Does a good job dropping the ball into the breadbasket down the field
— Not afraid to attack the middle of the defense
—Has the hearts and smarts you want in a signal caller on offense
THE BAD
— Could stand to add more bulk to his lean frame
— Can take a beating both in the pocket and when scrambling
— Scores didn’t match the tape/yardage/completion percentage next year
— Will have to show he can make a jump against heightened competition
BIO
— Redshirt junior prospect from Miami, FL
— Born October 1, 2003
— Grandson of Cuban immigrants
— Three-star recruit according to Rivals
— Originally committed to play at Yale before deciding to flip to Cal
— 2022: Redshirted
— 2023: Started eight games and completed 63% of his passes for 1,708 yards with 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, along with another two rushing touchdowns
— 2024: Started 11 games and completed 68.7% of his passes for 3,004 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions, along with another two rushing touchdowns
— Transferred to Indiana prior to the 2025 season
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Fernando Mendoza was a lightly-recruited quarterback in the 2022 class out of Miami (FL) who almost went to Yale before committing to Cal. After redshirting his first year on campus, Mendoza cracked the starting lineup in Week 6 of 2023, leading Cal to a 3-5 record. In 2024, Mendoza entered the season as the clear-cut starter and helped lead the Golden Bears to a 6-5 record while impressing coaches and scouts alike with his play on the field, throwing for over 3,000 yards and completing nearly 69% of his passes.
When you pop in the tape on Mendoza, you see a big, tall passer who knows how to throw the football. More importantly, he has the poise to throw the ball under pressure and duress, something he faced constantly behind the Golden Bears’ offensive line. However, Mendoza made some “wow” throws while taking a licking like the one below against Stanford, where he gets rocked by the linebacker blitzing up the A-gap, but manages to drop the ball perfectly in the bucket to his intended target in the end zone for the score while covered.
Mendoza’s pocket presence is something to note when watching his tape. He seems to have a sixth sense to sidestep defenders and get into open space to fire off a downfield throw. Watch this play against Florida State, where Mendoza sidesteps the defender that has him dead to rights in the backfield and finds his receiver streaking up the sideline for the explosive play.
Not only can Mendoza evade the pressure in the pocket, but he also does a great job taking off when he sees a runway with his legs. He is an underrated athlete for his size. Watch Mendoza escape the pressure on this rep below and take off as a runner, selling the pass until the very last second, then taking off for a 30-yard run.
Mendoza also uses his legs as a passer when working outside the pocket. He is known for his pocket presence, but can throw on the run when asked to do so. Watch this rep against Oregon State where Mendoza works to his right and fires the pass with great touch on his intended target over the coverage defender while on the move for the score.
Mendoza isn’t afraid to throw into tight coverage and does a good job anticipating his throws and where his receiver will be when he places his passes. Watch this clutch throw Mendoza makes in the same game over the middle, placing the ball just in front of one defender in coverage and right in front of another as the receiver runs between both to make the catch and move the chains.
When Mendoza puts it all together, it’s something pretty to watch. Please look at this rep against Florida State, where he is backed up in his own end zone as he takes the snap, working to his left as a defender is working through the block of his receiver on the edge. Mendoza throws the pass on the move while taking a hit from the edge rusher, placing the ball right on his intended target just outside the outstretched hand of the coverage defender as his receiver turns upfield and picks up additional yards after the catch.
Regarding arm strength, Mendoza has a live arm that can put plenty of zip on the ball. He can push the ball down the field, as you can see in this clip below against Miami. He drops back to his right and steps into his throw to launch a 50-yard pass down the field into the bucket of his intended target, who catches the ball in stride and takes it down to the five-yard line.
CONCLUSION
Fernando Mendoza is a big, tall, athletic quarterback with all the tools you look for in a starting quarterback at the next level. He possesses the arm talent to make nearly every throw and the poise and the pocket presence to stare into the teeth of the opposing defense and not waver. His legs are also underrated, as he took plenty of sacks behind a suspect Cal offensive line last season and should have better protection and better weapons this season on an Indiana team coming off the best season they’ve had in recent memory.
In what is shaping up to be an intriguing quarterback class for the 2026 NFL Draft, Mendoza is legitimately someone who has the profile to be near the top given his measurables, tape, and intangibles. He will need to build off a strong 2024 campaign and show more capability of getting the offense into the end zone, but there is a lot to like from Mendoza as a name you need to watch during the 2025 season.
Projection: Day 1
Games Watched: vs Miami (FL) (2024), at Florida State (2024), vs Oregon State (2024), vs Stanford (2024)
