Fernando Mendoza is coming off a spectacular final college football season in which he won the Heisman Trophy. He also led the Indiana Hoosiers to an undefeated season that concluded with a National Championship. All of this has him ranked among the top overall prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, but his decision not to participate in throwing drills at the Combine has drawn some criticism.
Fernando Mendoza Questioned for Opting Out of Throwing at 2026 NFL Combine
Many around the NFL believe that Mendoza will be selected with the first-overall pick in the 2026 Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. The franchise is in desperate need of a quarterback, and most believe that the Indiana superstar is clearly the best option this year.
He recently announced his decision not to throw at the Combine this year, which makes some sense considering he can’t really do anything to improve his draft stock any further. Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner is among the opponents of this choice, and he explained why.
“I personally think everyone should throw at combine if invited, this is what you are going to do for a living, so do it anywhere, anytime. But I definitely understand why, if given the option, players don’t throw and want to make everything perfect!”
“Now, how about inviting another quarterback to throw in their place if they opt out? There are so many guys just hoping for an opportunity to throw next to those guys and in front of the scouts! Give someone else an opportunity that won’t get what top picks get,” stated Warner.
Warner said Mendoza shouldn’t hesitate to show off his throwing skills at the Combine, even if it won’t improve his draft position, which is already expected to be number one overall. A strong performance in the drills would essentially keep him where he already is, while any sign of struggle could theoretically convince the Raiders to change their minds.
This year’s class of quarterback prospects is considered to be relatively weak at the position, with the exception of Mendoza, who seems to check all of the boxes, including finishing second in PFSN’s Impact Rankings. Warner admitted that he understands why he is opting out of throwing, though he disagrees with the concept. He just asked that another quarterback be given the opportunity to take his place in the drills as an alternative solution.
