The New Orleans Saints were set at quarterback, at least for the 2025 season, before Derek Carr’s surprise retirement shook up the room. Although the decision was announced after the NFL Draft, it explained the Saints’ haste in selecting Tyler Shough in the second round.
Early reports are that Shough is performing well in New Orleans, but his starting role could be short-lived if one PFSN analyst’s recent prediction is proven right.
QB Prospect Fernando Mendoza Slotted to New Orleans Saints in Round 2 of 2026 Draft
NFL Draft analyst Brentley Weissman predicted Shough and the Saints will struggle offensively in 2025 and will be the third-worst team in the league, thus ending up with the third overall pick.
However, in Weissman’s draft, the top two quarterbacks, Arch Manning and Cade Klubnik, are already off the board, forcing the Saints to focus on taking the best player available in Clemson edge TJ Parker.
Instead, the Saints are projected to select a quarterback in the second round and potentially land a steal in Indiana quarterback prospect Fernando Mendoza at No. 35 overall.
Mendoza is a name that most college football fans won’t be too familiar with, but he is certainly on the NFL’s radar. He played well this past season at Cal and now looks to take the next step forward at Indiana. Mendoza has the size, arm talent, and poise to excel at the NFL level, and Kellen Moore will be highly excited about molding his offense around him.
“Mendoza is a gunslinger with elite velocity, fast-processing instincts, and pinpoint accuracy,” PFSN’s Ian Cummings wrote when breaking down the early frontrunners of the 2026 NFL Draft.
“He plays fast and confident, and is more than willing to thread the needle and challenge defenses with his arm. At the same time, he can also work efficiently on quick-game throws.
“Mendoza still needs to fine-tune his footwork and rein in some of his risk-taking, but his upside is massive. He has the size, the arm, the toughness, and more than enough functional athleticism to navigate space. He’s a prototypical NFL passer in the making.”
Can’t wait to see Fernando Mendoza at Indiana this season. Dude can sling it pic.twitter.com/MzvkBCnEqD
— Drew Beatty (@IronCityFilm) June 2, 2025
Mendoza initially committed to Yale and was slated to play in the northeast when an opportunity to play Power Five football presented itself. He would decommit from Yale and join the California Golden Bears.
After redshirting the 2022 season behind Jack Plummer, he got his shot. 2023 was a tune-up year for the redshirt freshman.
There were ups and downs, ultimately leading to Mendoza’s stark progression in 2024. With a year of play in Justin Wilcox’s system, things came easier for Mendoza, and his NFL potential started to shine through.
In 2024, Mendoza completed 265 of 386 attempts (68.7%) for 3,004 yards, 16 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He was one of just seven FBS passers to throw for over 3,000 yards while completing at least 68% of passes.
