Oregon-Indiana CFP semifinal between Fernando Mendoza, Dante Moore has massive Raiders NFL Draft implications

The College Football Playoff Peach Bowl obviously has huge implications for college football. The winner of Oregon vs. Indiana will be playing in the national championship. Indiana is on a hunt to become the first team of the modern era, which dates back to 1932, to go 16-0 in a season. Oregon, meanwhile, is coming off perhaps the most dominant College Football Playoff quarterfinals win of the 12-team era after shutting out Texas Tech 23-0.

Results from this upcoming game extend further than just impact on college football, though. This is also a battle for the number one overall pick, which is owned by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Indiana’s quarterback is Fernando Mendoza, and Oregon’s signal caller is Dante Moore. Those two are the frontrunners to go first overall in the draft, and this game could very well decide who does end up becoming the future of the Raiders. So, heading into the Peach Bowl, who has the edge?

The case for Fernando Mendoza

The Geno Smith experiment didn’t work, and at this point, it is pretty clear that the Raiders will hold onto the first overall pick and use it to select a quarterback. After the top two, the talent falls off significantly, so Mendoza or Moore will likely play for the team that just fired Pete Carroll. Mendoza was somewhat unheralded coming into the year, but he has been the number one pick frontrunner for months now, all while capturing the hearts of football fans around the world in the process.

Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy and has led Indiana to one of the best seasons in recent memory. His 36 passing touchdowns are the most in the NFL. Mendoza’s leadership skills are unquestionable, as the Hoosiers have rallied behind their joyful and ever-praising quarterback.

He has incredible football IQ, as he can diagnose what defenses are running and find the weak spots. When he does, Mendoza can deliver the football on time with precision. Mendoza has completed 72.3% of his passes, as he is accurate to all three levels of the football field.

Mendoza looks the part of an NFL quarterback, too. He is 6-foot-5, 225 pounds. While Mendoza wasn’t all that spectacular in his past two seasons with Cal, Moore hadn’t done much before this season, either. His junior season trumps any concern about past production because it was one of the best Heisman-winning seasons of the century, too. Even at Cal, Mendoza showed confidence delivering strikes from the pocket despite the team’s offensive line struggling to protect him.

Mendoza is a poised player who should have a long NFL career. He isn’t viewed as a generational prospect, though. The Indiana product may be more likely to be just good than truly great. Mendoza’s arm strength isn’t something to write home about for a number one pick, and he is somewhat limited as a runner. As of now, consensus shows that Mendoza has the edge over Moore, but that could certainly change depending on how the two show out in the Peach Bowl.

The case for Dante Moore

While Moore is more commonly viewed as QB2 in this class, he certainly has a case for the first overall pick, and some scouts and people in the draft world have him as the number one player on their big board. Moore is also leading one of the best teams in the nation.

He has 3,280 yards and 28 touchdowns through the air, the former of which is greater than Mendoza’s mark. Moore has a knack for making big plays. He has a cannon of an arm and is the best deep thrower in this draft class. He can also make plays of script. When things don’t go right, Moore can escape the pocket and extend plays while waiting on things to materialize downfield. He can then use his great arm talent to make off-platform throws from different arm angles deep down the field.

It isn’t like Moore is just a reckless gunslinger, either. He only has three more interceptions (9) in comparison to Mendoza, and his 72.9% completion percentage is actually superior. Moore loves the big play, but he is smart enough to take what the defense gives him, and he still has touch on short and intermediate throws.

Although he can work outside the pocket, Moore also isn’t a great runner. He has only 106 career rushing yards through three seasons. At 6-foot-3, 203 pounds, Moore has a skinny frame reminiscent of Jayden Daniels, too, and everybody knows Daniels struggled with injuries for the Washington Commanders this past season.

In short, Mendoza is a steady quarterback with credentials, whereas Moore is more of a higher-risk, higher-reward prospect. It’s unclear who the Raiders like more, but the Indiana-Oregon matchup will certainly influence their decision.

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