Fernando Mendoza Hyped by Mel Kiper Jr. Amid Indiana's Run to CFP Bracket Final

As Indiana star quarterback Fernando Mendoza gears up for the College Football Playoff final against Miami next Monday, he received a glowing endorsement from a longtime expert.

While speaking to Steve Serby of the New York Post, ESPN NFL draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. had nothing but nice things to say about Mendoza.

"He did this on a consistent basis late in plays, he made great decisions. He was accurate with throws late in the play … whether it was a run for the first down, whether it was to throw the ball away, whether it was to throw an accurate pass, whether it was a checkdown late, he just saw the field so well this year," Kiper said. "He trusted what he saw and he let it rip. He benefited from this experience, from this development at Indiana."

Mendoza has thrown eight touchdowns and no interceptions in two CFP games, leading the Hoosiers to dominant wins over Alabama and Oregon. B/R's NFL Draft Scouting Department predicted that he would be selected No. 1 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2026 draft.

Kiper went on to praise Mendoza's physical attributes as well as his mental makeup, and he made a lofty comparison to Cincinnati Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow.

"He's got the size, he doesn't have a rocket arm, but it's certainly strong enough. He's not gonna win any races, but he's certainly fast enough, like Burrow, to pick up first downs and beat you with his legs and move the chains with his legs on third down," Kiper said. "He's smart — remember, he was gonna go to Yale. Very energetic. The one thing he says: 'I'm always trying to crack the code.' He's focused, he's disciplined in his approach, he's dedicated, he studies as much as anybody, he prepares as hard as anybody, he plays with energy, he loves his teammates, he'll do anything he can to win a football game."

With one more win, Mendoza will complete a dream season that includes an undefeated record, a national championship and the Heisman Trophy, so he surely will be looking to impress once again next week against Miami.