Fernando Mendoza Favored as Top Pick in the 2026 NFL Draft

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00:00what are you hearing around Mendoza as he seemingly is the favorite to be the first

00:05overall pick in April yeah now we have to understand when we look at first overall pick

00:12it obviously depends on who has it and what their situation is now the early word on Mendoza is yes

00:19he will be a first-round pick the big thing is everyone I've talked to I know that he needs a

00:23little bit more work all quarterbacks do no matter who they are but the earlier one I got it is he

00:29should go in the upper half of the first round now I'm saying this as the first draft meetings around

00:33the National Football League happened December that's when you start to set your board and you

00:38know you move what you tweak it depending on what information you get so right now Mendoza again now

00:44he has to officially declare where it's widely expected as of now that he will if he does

00:48he'll be the first pick taken more the kid from Oregon although I guess the rumors are that he'll

00:54stay in school he's very talented but we'll see what what happens with him but Mendoza look I

01:00wouldn't look at last night's game and say okay how good could he be that's just the way the game

01:04flowed Mendoza is very skilled you everyone I've talked to said that high character good accuracy

01:12good enough arm there's a lot to like there now the teams Kevin we're talking about next year's draft

01:18the 26th draft the Cardinals you and I talked about on on on Friday night on on game time decisions

01:25about Kyler Murray future where it should be a situation where one way or another they move on

01:30from him they need a future quarterback the Jets obviously need a future quarterback the Browns I

01:35know they're gonna they're based on contract right the Browns hope Deshaun Watson 46 million the

01:41final year's deal in 26 it's fully guaranteed it almost certainly keeps him on the roster one way or the

01:45other the Raiders on Geno Smith's contract by the way they can get out of it after 27 after the 26

01:53season 27's money is not guaranteed they need to know who the future is a quarterback and the Steelers

01:57Aaron Rodgers just turned 42 earlier this week he's on he's on a one-year deal that's another team has

02:05not gotten right since Ben Roethlisberger is retired they've not gotten right in terms of the future

02:09quarterback Kenny Pickett did not work out so right now there are at least five teams that need to know

02:13where the future quarterback is yeah it's so interesting and it is fun you know this time

02:18of year to see I'm glad uh Kat mentions the rumors around DJ Moore uh that adds even because that that

02:25is one of these really interesting things Kat if I can just stick here because it is a little bit of

02:29a college football day right are NFL teams happy that the NIL is allowing kids to stay in school longer

02:38and develop or are they a little frustrated that maybe it's weakening some of these classes

02:45there it's funny this has been going now for a couple years since uh the laws changed or the rules

02:52changed with paying players it does more often than not keep guys who might be second third fourth round

03:01picks because of NIL money budgets have gone way up they've been skyrocketing it also depends on the

03:07position but if you're a guy who's going to go the upper half of the first round you are declaring if

03:11you know that for a fact you're going to go so I'd be stunned if Mendoza does not declare

03:16Moore's another situation which we have to watch as we go forward here but Kevin it's a great subject

03:21and it's one because NFL people predict this to me that this is going to happen

03:26guys anywhere your third fourth fifth round if they can get a million two or three million they're

03:31staying why would they go why would they go they love college but it's about hey how could I

03:36support my family so yeah Kevin it's a really good subject and that will impact how many players

03:42declare there's no question about it