Raiders to snub Fernando Mendoza in NFL Draft for ‘best pure passer’ in CFP says Todd McShay

Tom Brady’s past comments praising Fernando Mendoza have established the Indiana quarterback as the red-hot favorite for the No. 1 pick in April’s NFL Draft.

Long out of running for Super Bowl LX, the Las Vegas Raiders are on the clock, and their minority owner is heavily involved in the decision-making process.

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After Geno Smith endured a torrid season, it is extremely unlikely the Raiders will do anything other than select the man they hope will be their quarterback of the future.

Former ESPN star Todd McShay agrees, but doesn’t think Mendoza will hear his name called.

Dante Moore vs Fernando Mendoza in College Football Playoff semifinal

The Heisman winner takes on Oregon in the College Football Playoff semifinals Friday and Dante Moore will be on the opposite sideline.

“There’s a lot of debate between the two,” McShay said in his latest mock draft. “If you need to win the most games in Season 1, Mendoza is the most ready [option]. He’s got the starts and the maturity.

“When you talk to everyone around Moore, they said, ‘Man, he’s mature for his age.’ However, he’s going to have 10-12 fewer starts than Mendoza.”

Ultimately, McShay thinks Brady and the Raiders will go for long-term upside despite the seven-time Super Bowl champion’s praise for his rival.

“Moore is the best pure passer – his instincts, the catchable ball, the layering of the football,” he added. “He does things as a passer that very few do, and Mendoza doesn’t quite do it at that level.”

NFL insider Benjamin Allbright says some teams are already wary of Mendoza.

“Quite a few people around the league aren’t sold on him [Mendoza], several have Moore above him and they don’t think that highly of him either,” he said.

Moore has completed 72.9% of his passes for 3,280 yards and 28 touchdowns.

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He will have a chance to shine in the Peach Bowl, where he could help boost his draft stock and give himself a shot at taking on No. 10 Miami for a national championship.

Ducks coach Dan Lanning says his signal-caller has grown throughout this season — a different path to the consistent Mendoza.

“When we played earlier in the season, Dante hadn’t played a ton of games,” Lanning said. “As you play an entire season, you get exposed to a lot of looks and you learn from those moments.

“He’s been a great player for us and done an unbelievable job, but he’s not the same player he was earlier in the year.”

Ultimately, April’s decision will come down to growth.

If the Raiders believe Moore’s upward trajectory is just getting started, he could well find himself on stage before the man who beat him to the Heisman.

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