Overview
- Mendoza went 17-of-20 for 177 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions in Indiana’s 56-22 Peach Bowl win over Oregon.
- The Raiders hold the first overall pick and are widely projected to target the Heisman winner, narrowing trade-up scenarios for teams behind them.
- The Jets sit at No. 2 and are seen as unlikely to land Mendoza after his surge, undercutting hopes of a deal with Las Vegas.
- Oregon’s Dante Moore struggled with a pick-six, two fumbles and pressure issues, and he told ESPN he has not decided whether to declare before the Jan. 14 deadline.
- Some evaluators, including Daniel Kelly and Jason Brown, question Mendoza’s mechanics and pro traits, drawing comparisons to Shedeur Sanders’ draft slide.