Fernando Mendoza Welcome To Las Vegas

[Sold My Soul]

Call your shot....or add your own.

Dante Moore:

https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Dante-Moore-QB-UCLA

Fernando Mendoza:

https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Fer ... California

May the football godz look kindly down upon the feeble and inept.

[chucker]

How many QBs drafted since Joe Burrow have had a better arm and better wheels than Joe Burrow? How many QBs drafted since Joe Burrow have been better NFL QBs than Joe Burrow?

[NoClapsPlease]

Exactly what physical limitations does he possess that fall under the category "every single?" His deep ball? OK and I would agree that it is not a huge part of his game. His mechanics? They are sound. His pocket awareness? Sure, at times but that happens with almost all rookies. His leadership? Not a problem at all. His running? While not pretty, he does run and that run of his last night was the difference between winning and losing, His field vision? Nope, that is spot on. His "slow passes?" No, he can and does put sufficient zip on the ball. You realize he is a red zone killer right? 48 TD passing, 10 rushing and only one turnover.

Every QB has flaws, but this 6'5 QB is the best prospect since Burrow and it is not even close. Accurate as hell, leader on the field and a true student of the game. He has two social media accounts, a youtube account and a linkdin account. That is to reduce the distractions. And the guy is smart as hell as well. Was supposed to go to Yale before he switched it up to Cal. Already has is college degree as well. He is now finishing up his MBA at 22 years of age. The guy's work ethic is off the charts. What I don't like about his game? Sure I would love for his deep pass ability to be a bit better, but he can throw deep it is just not his game. Would I like his scramble to be better, sure, who would not like that. Is his pocket awareness a problem? I would not classify it that way, but rather on a short list of things to fix. Does he need a good run game to be at his best? This is definitely true. Is it a problem? One could certainly say it could be. Will we need to fix the line issues. Yes, but if your Oline is bad, the QB is bad. That is pretty universal. Good news is, this FA crop of linemen can fix that pretty fast.

So, tell me about "every single physical limitation" but tell me about every limitation. Not just the physical ones because when you include those I think the picture is more accurate.

I think we are saying the same thing, it’s just glass half full vs half empty

I just would like to see physical traits that make a player SPECIAL when going first overall. That’s a pretty consistent expectation across all sports that have a draft.

Right now, I can’t think of one thing besides him being 6’5, but Brock osweiler was 6’8 and that didn’t work out much for him

It’s a legitimate concern.

[Reno Hightower]

By the way, while I strongly disagree that Mendoza's arm is too weak, I don't mind at all that people have contrasting views. The guys who've posted that it's a big concern have done it respectively and there's nothing wrong with raising a different view - because it makes us all think a bit more. They are entitled to their incorrect opinions.

Yes, they are. I know I am bit salty about that point of view but focusing on arm strength has time and again been a mistake.

In some cases you do get a million dollar arm attached to a cerebral QB and they are gems but at the same time I have seen HOF QB's discounted for that same reason. Bert Jones was by far the best pure passer in the NFL during the seventies. Meanwhile Griese, Staubach, and Stabler heard clanks when they took off their rings and dropped them into the coffee cup next their night stands. Bert? Dante Pastorini? They hear the alarm clock tick.

Plus in actually the comparisons are not valid anyways, because Mendoza can spin it.

[Attyla]

I think we are saying the same thing, it’s just glass half full vs half empty

I just would like to see physical traits that make a player SPECIAL when going first overall. That’s a pretty consistent expectation across all sports that have a draft.

Right now, I can’t think of one thing besides him being 6’5, but Brock osweiler was 6’8 and that didn’t work out much for him

It’s a legitimate concern.

I get that, go watch the Alabama game again.

[chucker]

The most important traits can't be measured with a stopwatch, measuring tape, scale or radar gun.

[Raidernation1979]

I think we are saying the same thing, it’s just glass half full vs half empty

I just would like to see physical traits that make a player SPECIAL when going first overall. That’s a pretty consistent expectation across all sports that have a draft.

Right now, I can’t think of one thing besides him being 6’5, but Brock osweiler was 6’8 and that didn’t work out much for him

It’s a legitimate concern.

His accuracy, ability to read coverage, toughness, heart, character. These are all special. Elite. Haven’t seen in a prospect since Luck. His arm is above average and can make every throw on the field. He’s mobile enough to make plays with his legs.

I think you’re totally discounting the mental aspect of quarterbacking and not realizing how elite he is there.

[Goodtimes333]

As good as the Indiana coaching staff is, they didn't do enough to take advantage of their commitment to the ground game & Miami selling out to stop it. If that makes sense.

Yes they won they game. They also scored on a punt block. LOVE the commitment to the ground in such a pass happy time. I think that's the right call. They didnt do themselves any favors or justice in not taking advantage of loaded boxes on 1st and 2nd down. That's just the reality.

You can say in the NFL he's going to face that situation more often. I agree. I'll also add that he'll probably be allowed more balance in being able to throw against loaded boxes as well. When you run that much you HAVE to be able to burn the defense for selling out against it. He really wasn't given much of a chance to even attempt that. I say this in regards to anyone saying he had a mediocre game or played poorly. His "stats" look much better if he's given a chance to make Miami pay for loading the box. That doesn't even factor in Miami db's allowed to play like it was 1982 all game long

[NoThanksSir]

The most important traits can't be measured with a stopwatch, measuring tape, scale or radar gun.

Imo what matters most in judging QB prospects is scoring, and winning. I did a dumb little ranking of 1st round QBs in the last 10 years, and collected all of that data. It's posted over in Al's War Room

viewtopic.php?p=1325199#p1325199

What I have found is that most of the 1st round QBs that go on to be successful score 45+ all purpose TD's and are either Heisman/Nat'l Champs. In the last 10 years, the only guy to do all 3 besides Burrow is Mendoza.

[Oaktownonly]

If we don't take Mendoza with the first pick then when do we take a QB? In the later rounds of every draft? Hope that we're crappy enough next year to draft high enough to get one? Is next year's QB draft going to be better than this year or should we wait until the '28 draft because that draft class will be better than '27?

To me the wait is over. We take Mendoza with the first pick.

And as for his arm not being good enough, I remember Gannon not having a cannon arm but he could sure cut you up.

My two cents.

[Attyla]

Imo what matters most in judging QB prospects is scoring, and winning. I did a dumb little ranking of 1st round QBs in the last 10 years, and collected all of that data. It's posted over in Al's War Room

viewtopic.php?p=1325199#p1325199

What I have found is that most of the 1st round QBs that go on to be successful score 45+ all purpose TD's and are either Heisman/Nat'l Champs. In the last 10 years, the only guy to do all 3 besides Burrow is Mendoza.

Red zone is off the charts as well. He get's that far downfield, he is all but certain to score.

[chucker]

As good as the Indiana coaching staff is, they didn't do enough to take advantage of their commitment to the ground game & Miami selling out to stop it. If that makes sense.

Yes they won they game. They also scored on a punt block. LOVE the commitment to the ground in such a pass happy time. I think that's the right call. They didnt do themselves any favors or justice in not taking advantage of loaded boxes on 1st and 2nd down. That's just the reality.

You can say in the NFL he's going to face that situation more often. I agree. I'll also add that he'll probably be allowed more balance in being able to throw against loaded boxes as well. When you run that much you HAVE to be able to burn the defense for selling out against it. He really wasn't given much of a chance to even attempt that. I say this in regards to anyone saying he had a mediocre game or played poorly. His "stats" look much better if he's given a chance to make Miami pay for loading the box. That doesn't even factor in Miami db's allowed to play like it was 1982 all game long

Run-pass selection was ridiculously predictable. It made both facets harder for Indiana. It also made the fact that Mendoza didn't crumble more impressive.

We definitely need to beef up the oline - that would be the case regardless of whether we were drafting a QB. But even good offensive lines have some games in a season when they just get overwhelmed so Mendoza is going to face pressure like this from time to time no matter what we do. What I saw last night tells me that we could still compete in those games.

[Raidernation1979]

Eisen on Mendoza

[Attyla]

Run-pass selection was ridiculously predictable. It made both facets harder for Indiana. It also made the fact that Mendoza didn't crumble more impressive.

We definitely need to beef up the oline - that would be the case regardless of whether we were drafting a QB. But even good offensive lines have some games in a season when they just get overwhelmed so Mendoza is going to face pressure like this from time to time no matter what we do. What I saw last night tells me that we could still compete in those games.

He probably got pounded the worst he has faced all season. First half vs Alabama was pretty bad as well.

[heavyD]

For every Joe Burrow who had scouts questioning his arm strength and average athleticism, there’s a wasteland of high physical trait QB’s with elite arm strength that were flat out busts. The traits Mendoza already has are some of the hardest to attain or teach.

[NoThanksSir]

For every Joe Burrow who had scouts questioning his arm strength and average athleticism, there’s a wasteland of high physical trait QB’s with elite arm strength that were flat out busts. The traits Mendoza already has are some of the hardest to attain or teach.

We didn't see any of these criticisms with Ward, and by every metric Ward is a worse prospect than both Mendoza and Burrow, and doesn't have other worldly arm strength. I think Occam's razor shows that most takes are arbitrary and viewed within the vacuum of that draft class. Folks don't want to admit that journalists shape a lot of their opinions, and in years where there is a consensus #1 you see ridiculous takes in order to drive engagement, and in years where there isn't they latch onto a guy in order to boost each other's credibility.