INDIANAPOLIS — Heisman Trophy winner and College Football Playoff champion Fernando Mendoza spoke to reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine this week, addressing his draft prospects, areas of focus heading into his rookie season and what the next chapter of his career could look like.
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Mendoza confirmed a formal interview with the Las Vegas Raiders, who hold the top pick in the upcoming draft, but said he remains open to wherever the process leads.
"Anything can happen in the draft, and I'm just excited for the opportunity," he said. "Whether it's the number one pick or the 199th pick, I'm grateful."
On the field, Mendoza said building equity with a new franchise comes down to two things.
"You need to play well — that's where all my focus goes — football, football, football," he said. "And then second, it's having the respect of your teammates through work ethic, through your leadership, through your tenacity and the way you respond to mistakes."
With Tom Brady holding a stake in the Raiders organization, Mendoza was asked what a potential mentorship would mean to him.
"Who hasn't admired Tom Brady? I believe he's the greatest quarterback of all time by a wide margin," he said. "To have the opportunity to be mentored by him would mean so much."
Mendoza also noted the two briefly spoke by phone during his Raiders interview, calling it "very special."
When asked what drew him to football, Mendoza pointed to the strategy and team-first nature of the game.
"The thing that made football so special was the strategy of the game and the way you really had to combine with your teammates for a positive result," he said. "There's no cookie-cutter mold that you need to be. I just love the variety in that."
He wrapped up his session by thanking the city of Indianapolis and the state of Indiana for their support throughout the season, including time spent with Peyton and Eli Manning.
"I can't thank the city of Indianapolis and the whole state of Indiana enough for the fantastic year," he said. "To be able to spend it with those legends was a remarkable night — I'm the young pup in that group."
