Fernando Mendoza Draws Joe Burrow Comparison Ahead of NFL Draft
The NFL Draft is one of the biggest nights in sports because of its unpredictability. 32 teams are looking to reshape their rosters, but nothing is ever guaranteed.
However, as more mock drafts roll in, there's growing clarity around one name: Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Holding the No. 1 overall pick, the Las Vegas Raiders are widely expected to select the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner, making him the closest thing to a lock at the top of the board.
And on Wednesday, just one day before the first round begins, former NFL quarterback Ben DiNucci added fuel to the hype, comparing Mendoza to Joe Burrow.
“I think there are two things that I look at when I see Fernando that translate immediately to the NFL. The first being the toughness,” DiNucci said.
“The first play of the Big Ten championship game, he gets licked when he’s rolling out to the right, hits the pass over the middle, not sure if he’s going to be able to come back in the game, gets up, finishes that game off, and plays a heck of a game. And then the second is the accuracy. The back shoulder fades. The ball comes out of his hand. It’s on the face mask. That’s exactly what you want as a quarterback going from college to the NFL.”
“If you’re looking for a comp, I think it’s Joe Burrow,” he added. “How many times have we seen Joe Burrow over the last couple of years play through stuff behind a battered O-line, just kind of finds ways to make plays … Those are two guys who are going to go first overall, two guys who won national championships. Burrow has had success. I think Fernando’s going to have success at the NFL level.”
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Drafted No. 1 overall in 2020, Burrow quickly transformed the Cincinnati Bengals from a basement franchise into a perennial contender.
By his second full season, he led Cincinnati to a Super Bowl appearance, showcasing elite poise under pressure and surgical accuracy, two traits DiNucci highlighted in Mendoza.
Now six years after getting drafted, Burrow earned three Pro Bowl selections, led the Bengals through multiple deep playoff runs, and built a reputation as one of the most efficient quarterbacks in football.
Even behind inconsistent offensive line play, he's consistently produced high completion percentages (68.5% in his career), elite touchdown-to-interception ratios, and clutch late-game drives.
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Mendoza led Indiana to a perfect season, won the Heisman Trophy, and captured a national championship while earning offensive MVP honors in the title game.
He threw for 3,535 yards with 41 touchdowns to just six interceptions during that championship run, completing 72% of his passes.
Evaluators consistently point to his poise, leadership, and accuracy, traits that mirror Burrow's path from elite college QB to NFL star.
If Mendoza comes anywhere close to doing what Burrow has, he immediately reshapes the entire balance of power in the AFC.
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This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 1:56 PM.