OT=2026 NFL draft..next Cardinal QB, Fernando Mendoza

[oaken1]

JR

QB

4

76

99

76.8

975

14

14.1

0

0.0

9.8

12.68

12.8

243.8

206.2

thats the current stat line for Mendoza at Indiana.....dude is a prototype pocket passer at 6'5..with a rushing average of about 1.9 yards per attempt...definitely not a runner.
But with 77% completions, 975 yards, and 14 Touchdowns so far in 4 games... Mendoza may well be the second coming of Peyton Manning.
Plus, come on...Mendoza??...Arizona is exactly the right place for him to play pro ball.

I mentioned this kid last year when he was at CAL...he portaled to Indiana and is now suddenly in the Heisman conversation.
We need to stop playing games...using gimmick QB's,...and get back to the basics. a field general that stands tall in the pocket and delivers strikes on time. a guy who knows when to fire a rocket versus when to lob one over the defender with touch.
He tossed 5 Touchdowns against Illinois...Illinois isnt a defensive powerhouse...but 5 TD's against them is still impressive.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

so, you guys that watch college football... Tune in those Indiana Hoosiers..watch Fernando Mendoza...and pray the football gods guide him to stay in red, but Cardinal red.

 

[oaken1]

Oh come on @Crimson Warrior
Don't just click a disagree and hide.
Contribute. Say your piece. Explain why you disagree.

Because the NFL world is expecting the second coming of Peyton Manning in the draft...my point is that he is coming...but his name ain't Manning...it's Mendoza.

And make no mistake...Mendoza fits The Petzing 's ideal system QB to the letter.

 

[Goodyear Card]

2026 NFL mock draft: Fernando Mendoza stays at No. 1; Steelers, Jets target QBs

Five quarterbacks still land in Round 1, but surprise risers have pushed some of college football's preseason darlings

www.cbssports.com

 

[oaken1]

2026 NFL mock draft: Fernando Mendoza stays at No. 1; Steelers, Jets target QBs

Five quarterbacks still land in Round 1, but surprise risers have pushed some of college football's preseason darlings

www.cbssports.com

Yeah well, we are likely going to need him to slide out of that #1 overall spot.
I cant see us doing what needs to be done to get there.

 

[Goodyear Card]

Top QBs 2026 NFL Draft

 

[oaken1]

Top QBs 2026 NFL Draft

Thats a good list. I am also a fan of Drew Allar...havent seen him play yet this year but I am hoping he has shown some maturity in his game. he still needed to take a couple steps to solidify his status last year.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

Oh come on @Crimson Warrior
Don't just click a disagree and hide.
Contribute. Say your piece. Explain why you disagree.

Because the NFL world is expecting the second coming of Peyton Manning in the draft...my point is that he is coming...but his name ain't Manning...it's Mendoza.

And make no mistake...Mendoza fits The Petzing 's ideal system QB to the letter.

Is Kyler Murray in a position to be successful this year oaken1?

Based on the talent around him and his OC and QB coaching?

If you'll please answer, then I'll tell you why I disagreed.

 

[oaken1]

Is Kyler Murray in a position to be successful this year oaken1?

Based on the talent around him and his OC and QB coaching?

If you'll please answer, then I'll tell you why I disagreed.

Yes he is. If he would take the 20 yard pass when its open instead of checking down to the 3 yard pass.
7 years in the league and murray still hasnt accepted the pure fact that NFL open isnt the same as college open,..and a pro QB has to make those passes...has to take some risk...
but kyler is more concerned with protecting his completion percentage than he is with winning games.
we are past time to move on. the team needs it,...and Murray needs it too. He needs to go to another team so he can see it isnt just "The lowly cardinals" that expect him to make those plays...and he needs to do it while he still has the time and physical ability to make something positive of his career.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

Yes he is. If he would take the 20 yard pass when its open instead of checking down to the 3 yard pass.
7 years in the league and murray still hasnt accepted the pure fact that NFL open isnt the same as college open,..and a pro QB has to make those passes...has to take some risk...
but kyler is more concerned with protecting his completion percentage than he is with winning games.
we are past time to move on. the team needs it,...and Murray needs it too. He needs to go to another team so he can see it isnt just "The lowly cardinals" that expect him to make those plays...and he needs to do it while he still has the time and physical ability to make something positive of his career.

I strongly disagree, per all of my comments in the K1 thread.

And I think if you put that rookie with this roster and he would get his ass kicked.

We don’t need change for the sake of change (imo).

 

[cardpa]

Thats a good list. I am also a fan of Drew Allar...havent seen him play yet this year but I am hoping he has shown some maturity in his game. he still needed to take a couple steps to solidify his status last year.

You can watch him tonight on NBC, they play Oregon. Should be a good game and a chance for Allar to show if he is indeed worthy of a first round pick. He has the physical skills and stature. The question is does he have the mental makeup to be a top tier QB.

 

[Ronin]

Merge? We already have draft thread

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

I thought Sam Leavitt looked pretty good last night against TCU.

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

Yes he is. If he would take the 20 yard pass when its open instead of checking down to the 3 yard pass.
7 years in the league and murray still hasnt accepted the pure fact that NFL open isnt the same as college open,..and a pro QB has to make those passes...has to take some risk...
but kyler is more concerned with protecting his completion percentage than he is with winning games.
we are past time to move on. the team needs it,...and Murray needs it too. He needs to go to another team so he can see it isnt just "The lowly cardinals" that expect him to make those plays...and he needs to do it while he still has the time and physical ability to make something positive of his career.

Kyler does go to the check down quite a bit, however, I'll have to disagree that he chooses the 3 yard pass as opposed to the 20 yard pass, I think he wants to chuck it downfield, I think it's the Petzing offense that causes him to throw short. Petzing will have to let him throw it downfield more moving forward because of Conner being out. When KK was the HC, Kyler had 6 completions of 50+ in his rookie season I believe. Is Kyler any better now than 2019, probably not, however, there's a lot of football left for him to get better, he hasn't cost us any games this season so far which is a plus. If this season goes to crap, he may be gone.

 

[AsUpRoDiGy]

I thought Sam Leavitt looked pretty good last night against TCU.

He has a long ways to go as a passer to stand a chance at the next level

 

[oaken1]

Kyler does go to the check down quite a bit, however, I'll have to disagree that he chooses the 3 yard pass as opposed to the 20 yard pass, I think he wants to chuck it downfield, I think it's the Petzing offense that causes him to throw short. Petzing will have to let him throw it downfield more moving forward because of Conner being out. When KK was the HC, Kyler had 6 completions of 50+ in his rookie season I believe. Is Kyler any better now than 2019, probably not, however, there's a lot of football left for him to get better, he hasn't cost us any games this season so far which is a plus. If this season goes to crap, he may be gone.

I am all for for firing The Petzing.
But regardless of the basic play call once the ball is snapped it is up to the QB to read the coverage and decide where to throw the ball.
He is choosing to not make those passes.
He certainly chooses to make them when we are down by 14...so why not when we are +/- 3?

 

[oaken1]

Merge? We already have draft thread

This ain't a draft thread. It is a Fernando Mendoza thread with added prospective QB discussion.

There is nothing appropriate to merge it to

 

[oaken1]

I strongly disagree, per all of my comments in the K1 thread.

And I think if you put that rookie with this roster and he would get his ass kicked.

We don’t need change for the sake of change (imo).

To continue doing the same thing while expecting different results is the definition of insanity

 

[AsUpRoDiGy]

I am all for for firing The Petzing.
But regardless of the basic play call once the ball is snapped it is up to the QB to read the coverage and decide where to throw the ball.
He is choosing to not make those passes.
He certainly chooses to make them when we are down by 14...so why not when we are +/- 3?

Because this offense has no cajones.

 

[Goodyear Card]

Kyler does go to the check down quite a bit, however, I'll have to disagree that he chooses the 3 yard pass as opposed to the 20 yard pass, I think he wants to chuck it downfield, I think it's the Petzing offense that causes him to throw short. Petzing will have to let him throw it downfield more moving forward because of Conner being out. When KK was the HC, Kyler had 6 completions of 50+ in his rookie season I believe. Is Kyler any better now than 2019, probably not, however, there's a lot of football left for him to get better, he hasn't cost us any games this season so far which is a plus. If this season goes to crap, he may be gone.

He did the same thing in KK offense

 

[Cardinal Bob]

As long as he's taller than 5'8", I'm in!

 

[unseenaz]

Is Kyler Murray in a position to be successful this year oaken1?

Based on the talent around him and his OC and QB coaching?

If you'll please answer, then I'll tell you why I disagreed.

Exhausting.

 

[Denny Green Fan]

JR

QB

4

76

99

76.8

975

14

14.1

0

0.0

9.8

12.68

12.8

243.8

206.2

thats the current stat line for Mendoza at Indiana.....dude is a prototype pocket passer at 6'5..with a rushing average of about 1.9 yards per attempt...definitely not a runner.
But with 77% completions, 975 yards, and 14 Touchdowns so far in 4 games... Mendoza may well be the second coming of Peyton Manning.
Plus, come on...Mendoza??...Arizona is exactly the right place for him to play pro ball.

I mentioned this kid last year when he was at CAL...he portaled to Indiana and is now suddenly in the Heisman conversation.
We need to stop playing games...using gimmick QB's,...and get back to the basics. a field general that stands tall in the pocket and delivers strikes on time. a guy who knows when to fire a rocket versus when to lob one over the defender with touch.
He tossed 5 Touchdowns against Illinois...Illinois isnt a defensive powerhouse...but 5 TD's against them is still impressive.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

so, you guys that watch college football... Tune in those Indiana Hoosiers..watch Fernando Mendoza...and pray the football gods guide him to stay in red, but Cardinal red.

Now you know we won’t be picking high enough to get him….

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

He did the same thing in KK offense

He threw longer passes though, way more often.

 

[oaken1]

Now you know we won’t be picking high enough to get him….

I dunno...there are some bigger names that may be in the draft...The kid from LSU, the guy at ASU, Allar, Manning...lots of flavors for needy teams to choose from and if teams get infatuated with a guy or caught up in a name..it could allow a guy like Mendoza to drop a bit in the draft... even with a difference in stats many GM's would be more comfortable picking the 6'5 Allar who plays at Penn state over the 6'5 Mendoza who plays for Indiana just due to the perceived quality of the institution and competition.... then, somebody will give a high pick for Arch just because he is a Manning...
I can see a situation in which Mendoza is the best QB in the class yet still on the board at pick 10 or 12....I mean, Josh Allen was 7...Lamar was 32?
A cluttered QB class can benefit a team like us that isnt in the position to have our choice from all the QB's but has to pick from "whats left"....

 

[Harry]

Mendoza looked ordinary on the road against a mediocre Iowa team, 13-23,223
2TDs 1 Int