Raiderstation

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.

Raider Nation wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 8:35 pm The truth behind Fernando Mendoza.
-27 of his 33 TDs came against Kennesaw St,
Indiana St, Illinois, Michigan St, UCLA, Wisconsin, and Purdue.
- The other 6 TDs were against lowa, Oregon, Penn St, Maryland, and Ohio St. He combined for 6 TDs and 5 interceptions in these games.

Disclosure, I copied the above off of something I read, and did not verify…. If this is true, I’m really not on the FM train at the moment. Another disclosure, I haven’t watched a single play of college ball this year….

And yet he found a way to lead his team to a win in every single one of those games.

Raider Nation wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 8:35 pm The truth behind Fernando Mendoza.
-27 of his 33 TDs came against Kennesaw St,
Indiana St, Illinois, Michigan St, UCLA, Wisconsin, and Purdue.
- The other 6 TDs were against lowa, Oregon, Penn St, Maryland, and Ohio St. He combined for 6 TDs and 5 interceptions in these games.

Disclosure, I copied the above off of something I read, and did not verify…. If this is true, I’m really not on the FM train at the moment. Another disclosure, I haven’t watched a single play of college ball this year….

ok.. In Dante Moore's five worst games he threw for only 3 TDs, and had 3 Ints to match.

I wonder how many 4 and 5 star recruits are playing for Oregon, and how many of the same are playing for Indiana? Cignetti brought a bunch of guys from JMU with him. You could almost say mighty JMU had 2 teams in the College Football Playoffs.

Raider Nation wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 8:35 pm The truth behind Fernando Mendoza.
-27 of his 33 TDs came against Kennesaw St,
Indiana St, Illinois, Michigan St, UCLA, Wisconsin, and Purdue.
- The other 6 TDs were against lowa, Oregon, Penn St, Maryland, and Ohio St. He combined for 6 TDs and 5 interceptions in these games.

Disclosure, I copied the above off of something I read, and did not verify…. If this is true, I’m really not on the FM train at the moment. Another disclosure, I haven’t watched a single play of college ball this year….

The thing about stats like this is we can go back and look at Caleb Williams 2023 season. He went 30-5 in TD/INT. In his 3 games against ranked opponents he went 6-5 TD/INT including 3 INTs vs Notre Dame and 0-0 vs the Utah team that kept kicking his ass in the dying days in the Pac-12.

What I'm sold on is his maturity/personality in his interviews and his toughness. Are we afraid he's going to get his ass kicked behind the 2025 Raider O-Line? The line will improve assuming a new staff is brought in with a more realistic vision of a rebuilding team. He's already going to be surround by two absolute bailouts in Jeanty and Bowers. This isn't going to be Al's Raiders where he'll be expected to chuck it 50 yards to Cliff Branch 10 times a game. Toss the swing pass and hit those seams, both of which Mendoza does weekly. Back shoulder throws from him are also pretty damn good.

I'm concerned about the super mobile QB prototype. Once they get that inevitable ACL tear, it's incredibly difficult to return to the same level of athleticism. Neither Moore nor Mendoza are that type of QB, but we have seen Indiana design RPOs with Mendoza. That toughness rubs off on the rest of the team.

Mahomes has been an absolute outlier in terms of his play style and success. Extending plays forever isn't for everyone. And that athleticism wears away eventually. Like most of us, we'll see what pressure and big stages do to these two QBs. But if either declare for the draft, it would be malpractice of the highest order to trade the potential 1 pick away. An extra first could be another Abram or Leatherwood

PS: The Raiders would be absolutely brain dead to lose out on marketing a Latino QB and making those oft-maligned, forever beloved connections to their storied past (Plunkett and Flores).

Toast wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 7:34 am Assuming we draft Mendoza, I would still like to see another QB selected later in the draft.

Would be great to get a run option guy in a later round... kind of like when we had Mariota for designed plays, or use him the way the Saints used Taysom Hill all those years.

Or, just use Cam Miller for that job, he's a great runner.

FlyBono24 wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 12:50 am Would be great to get a run option guy in a later round... kind of like when we had Mariota for designed plays, or use him the way the Saints used Taysom Hill all those years.

Or, just use Cam Miller for that job, he's a great runner.

Haynes King

Mendoza is unequivocally the only pick we make at 1.

He has the prototype size and clutch ability to make plays in the pro game but absolutely above all else is his intangible qualities of bringing an infectious attitude, work ethic and will to win which will naturally rub off on the roster.

Considering the sheer apathy around the Raiders currently and losing mentality encapsulated with our transparent ‘tanking’ we desperately need to return to bringing positive vibes, winning mentality and a sense of we are heading in the right direction and that for me is what Mendoza (and the right coaching setup) can bring us.

On the basis we finish with the 1st pick you absolutely draft Mendoza and don’t look back!

Raider Nation wrote: Tue Dec 30, 2025 8:35 pm The truth behind Fernando Mendoza.
-27 of his 33 TDs came against Kennesaw St,
Indiana St, Illinois, Michigan St, UCLA, Wisconsin, and Purdue.
- The other 6 TDs were against lowa, Oregon, Penn St, Maryland, and Ohio St. He combined for 6 TDs and 5 interceptions in these games.

Disclosure, I copied the above off of something I read, and did not verify…. If this is true, I’m really not on the FM train at the moment. Another disclosure, I haven’t watched a single play of college ball this year….

Most guys can be cherry picked. 4 of Brady’s super bowls combined were 4 TDs and 2 picks. He was 3-1 in those 4 games.

The it factor I see in Mendoza after watching several games this year is that even when things aren’t going well he seems to find a way when it’s absolutely necessary to get the win. It isn’t always easy but he got it done in crunch time

I think a fair number of people are underestimating Mendoza and projecting a weaker prospect than he is, because:
- not "flashy" enough
- boyscoutish personality
- supposedly underwhelming yards

He led college football with 39 total TDs (33 passing and 6 rushing) despite rarely playing in the 4th quarter all season.

If you project out 60 minutes of play in each game, he'd have over 4000 yards and ~52 total TDs on the season.

He also happens to be highly intelligent, dedicated, clutch, has NFL size, lazer focus, and experience pulling one of the worst college football teams out of a centennial gutter without any real blue chip teammates.

Barring an unforseen disaster in the next few weeks, RUN TO THE PODIUM.

I see a player closer to Burrow than Goff or Cousins.

What if both of them absolutely shit the bed in the playoffs? Both of them play legit defenses this week.
As much as I’d love to see Texas Tech make a run, seeing the 2 QBs face off in the semis would be amazing.

I haven’t watched Moore play but Mendoza vs. Penn St. and Ohio St. got me amped up. (Only 2 Indiana games I watched.)

BG3428 wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 4:31 am What if both of them absolutely shit the bed in the playoffs? Both of them play legit defenses this week.
As much as I’d love to see Texas Tech make a run, seeing the 2 QBs face off in the semis would be amazing.

I haven’t watched Moore play but Mendoza vs. Penn St. and Ohio St. got me amped up. (Only 2 Indiana games I watched.)

I think most smart GMs especially on Mendoza know what he is. You have years of tape. One game shouldn’t dramatically change that. Guys with 1 season I can see it more so.

Mendoza already played the top defense in the country and won. Was he flashy? Nope. Tough game but when it had to be closed out they gave him a chance with his arm and he came through with a dime.

The thing is, Mendoza at the start of the year was on almost nobody's radar. Indiana may be D1 but they have never been considered a powerhouse program in like decades. The QBs in college football faded quickly leaving a very small group of guys by midseason. But he won and he continued to lead on the field. The guy is smart, not football smart, but smart as hell. He was on his way to Yale before changing it up. And that is important. He processes fast and reacts well to what he processes. Yes, he threw some ugly picks, who doesn't? But he is deadly with his mid level passes. And as noted, he can run and he can take a hit. We need a guy like that. His Catholic upbringing made him very close to his family and he wants this success in large part for them. These are traits that are hard to quantify but that level of loyalty without the douchebag crap we have seen from other "loyal" families will travel well.

Unless he craps the bed and implodes tomorrow, which I doubt, we are going to see the future of the Raiders on display in a big game for him and Indiana.

Arsenal Raider wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 3:42 am I think a fair number of people are underestimating Mendoza and projecting a weaker prospect than he is, because:
- not "flashy" enough
- boyscoutish personality
- supposedly underwhelming yards

He led college football with 39 total TDs (33 passing and 6 rushing) despite rarely playing in the 4th quarter all season.

If you project out 60 minutes of play in each game, he'd have over 4000 yards and ~52 total TDs on the season.

He also happens to be highly intelligent, dedicated, clutch, has NFL size, lazer focus, and experience pulling one of the worst college football teams out of a centennial gutter in 1 year without any real blue chip teammates.

Barring an unforseen disaster in the next few weeks, RUN TO THE PODIUM.

I see a player closer to Burrow than Goff or Cousins.

Sorry but Mendoza did not pull Indiana out of the gutter, Curt Cignetti built that team and they were 11-2 last year before Mendoza. And as far as no blue chip players that's wrong also, Indiana like other teams has been taking advantage of raiding the transfer portal and offering up NIL money to bring in recruits.

Raidernation1979 wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 4:59 am I think most smart GMs especially on Mendoza know what he is. You have years of tape. One game shouldn’t dramatically change that. Guys with 1 season I can see it more so.

Mendoza already played the top defense in the country and won. Was he flashy? Nope. Tough game but when it had to be closed out they gave him a chance with his arm and he came through with a dime.

I mostly agree on the tape part. I guess where I’m curious is where that tape is against top competition under the lights.
I thought last playoffs would have boosted Will Howard’s stock but not so much. Going to be a fun playoff season.

BG3428 wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 5:53 am I mostly agree on the tape part. I guess where I’m curious is where that tape is against top competition under the lights.
I thought last playoffs would have boosted Will Howard’s stock but not so much. Going to be a fun playoff season.

The Will Howard thing kind of goes with what I’m saying. Smart GMs shouldn’t move guys dramatically based on a game or 2 when they have 20+ games of how these guys play.

With Mendoza you have this years Ohio state and Oregon as 2 huge games. The tape reveals if they can play. Then you have personal stuff such as background and interviews.

Didn't Howard shit the bed at the combine?