NFL Team's Bizarre Suggestion to Top QB Prospect: "Maybe You Should Get Arrested"
In a stunning revelation from the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza disclosed that an NFL team looked him directly in the eye and delivered an outrageous suggestion: "Hey, maybe you should get arrested."
The comment, which Mendoza shared with CBS Sports reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala during interviews in Indianapolis this week, was presented as a strategy to help the Indiana quarterback "slide" in the upcoming NFL Draft. According to Mendoza, the team—which he did not meet with formally—wanted to create a scenario where he might fall out of the No. 1 overall pick position, giving them a chance to select him later in the draft.
Testing Prospects with Unusual Questions
While NFL teams have a long history of testing draft prospects with strange and probing questions at the combine, joking about an arrest represents a particularly extreme example. This unusual exchange underscores just how far ahead Mendoza stands in this year's quarterback class. The Las Vegas Raiders currently hold the coveted No. 1 selection and are in clear need of a franchise quarterback, leaving other teams lower in the draft order desperately searching for any possibility that Mendoza might somehow become available to them.
When asked by Kinkhabwala about the most bizarre thing he had heard during the combine process, Mendoza immediately pointed to this arrest suggestion. "It was, 'Hey, maybe you should get arrested,'" Mendoza recalled with a smile, adding, "Hopefully, I don't get arrested."
Mendoza's Meteoric Rise to Stardom
Fernando Mendoza's journey to becoming the consensus top quarterback prospect is nothing short of remarkable. Originally a lightly regarded recruit who began his collegiate career at California, Mendoza transferred to Indiana and transformed into one of the most dominant players in college football.
In 2025, he led the Hoosiers to a perfect 16-0 season, culminating in a College Football Playoff national championship victory over Miami. His individual achievements were equally impressive, as he captured the Heisman Trophy while putting up spectacular numbers:
- Completed 72% of his passes
- Threw for 3,535 yards
- Accounted for 41 touchdown passes against just six interceptions
- Added 276 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground
Las Vegas Raiders: The Likely Destination
With the Raiders holding the first overall selection, Mendoza appears destined to begin his professional career in Las Vegas. The prospect clearly appeals to the young quarterback, particularly because of the franchise's connection to legendary quarterback Tom Brady, who serves as a minority owner of the team.
"I mean, who hasn't admired Tom Brady?" Mendoza told ESPN on Friday. "That opportunity would be fantastic."
He elaborated further on what learning from the seven-time Super Bowl champion would mean: "Tom Brady, I believe, was the greatest quarterback of all time by a wide margin and to be able to have the opportunity to be mentored by him, it would mean so much. And to potentially have a mentor like that, it'd be pretty impressive and pretty meaningful."
The Combine Experience and Draft Outlook
As Mendoza continues to navigate the combine interview process, with coaches and scouts meticulously studying his game film and evaluating his personality, the arrest suggestion has emerged as one of the week's most viral moments. However, the larger narrative remains unmistakably clear: Fernando Mendoza is the premier quarterback prospect that every team below the Raiders is desperately trying to pry away from the top spot.
Barring any dramatic developments between now and the draft in April, it appears Mendoza will not need to resort to handcuffs to find himself wearing the silver and black of the Las Vegas Raiders. His talent, achievements, and character have already positioned him as the undeniable choice for the franchise seeking its quarterback of the future.
