Fernando Mendoza under microscope as fans spot concerning habit that led to Shedeur Sanders draft slide

Fernando Mendoza got the opportunity to display all of his talents this week.

After being heavily criticized for not participating in the NFL Combine, the former Indiana Hoosiers quarterback put on a show at Indiana’s Pro Day on Wednesday.

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The widely-held opinion after the event was that Mendoza showed out in front of all 32 teams, including the Las Vegas Raiders, as he completed 53 of 56 throws.

National media has touted Mendoza as the clear No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft for months, and it’s easy to see why after his Pro Day performance.

Fernando Mendoza backlash over Shedeur Sanders-esque tapping

However, fans have spotted a familiar trait in Mendoza’s mechanics, as it’s the same thing that partly led to Shedeur Sanders‘ stunning draft slide last year before he eventually eventually landed with the Cleveland Browns.

Shedeur was long-touted as a first-round pick throughout his collegiate career with the Colorado Buffaloes, but fell to the Browns at No. 144 in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Mendoza and Sanders appear to have a similar kink in their throwing technique – chiefly, tapping the ball before throwing it.

However, while Sanders was widely criticized for it, Mendoza, at least until now, has gotten away with it in most scouting reports and online critiques.

Patting is generally considered a bad habit in the NFL because that one tap of the football can add a millisecond to a throw, which can make all the difference in the timing of the pass.

It also it creates a ‘tell’ for defensive backs, allowing them to break on the ball earlier while exposing the quarterback to a higher risk of strip sacks.

Fans noticed the issue on social media and called out the double standard.

“Wait, but what about the ball tap everyone was crying about with Shedeur,” one fan commented.

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“Guess that ball tapping problem only applies to some,” a second added.

“They told me Shedeur was trash for patting the ball, but for Mendoza???,” a third said.

“Remember when there was a big deal out of Shedeur tapping the ball before throwing? Well Mendoza does it, and not a peep,” a fourth said.

“Most people don’t care when a quarterback taps the ball, but when Shedeur did it last season, it was an issue?” a fifth concluded.

Raiders sign Kirk Cousins after Mendoza wows Raiders

Raiders GM John Spytek and new head coach Klint Kubiak have been vocal in their concerns over throwing a rookie quarterback straight into the fire.

“Ideally, you don’t want him to start from Day 1,” Kubiak explained about Mendoza coming into the lineup right away. “We love him to be able to learn behind somebody…That’s in a perfect world.

“It doesn’t always work out that way. Sometimes they have to play from Day 1, and it’s our job as a coach to get them ready to go.”

Throughout free agency, the Raiders have been linked with multiple veteran quarterbacks, and even Derek Carr expressed his interest in coming out of retirement to serve as a bridge QB.

The Raiders struck on Thursday, signing Kirk Cousins to a one-year deal.

Cousins, who is viewed as the perfect mentor for Mendoza, was released by the Atlanta Falcons at the beginning of the offseason, halfway through his four-year, $180 million contract.

The veteran quarterback put up respectable numbers for the Falcons in eight starts after Michael Penix Jr. suffered an ACL injury.

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However, Mendoza’s statement when speaking to ESPN suggests he is not just going to lie back and let Cousins start the season without a challenge.

“My goal is to be the best quarterback in September, the start of the season, rather than being the best quarterback today April 1 for the Pro Day,” Mendoza said.

Despite claims that draft rival Ty Simpson is the better quarterback, Mendoza’s Pro Day performance has all but cemented his status as the best signal caller in the 2026 class.

The Raiders have spent the offseason preparing for Mendoza’s arrival, and at this point it’s a virtual certainty that he’ll be given a Raiders cap by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell at the draft later this month.

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