Canal Street Chronicles
With another loss, the New Orleans Saints still have the #1 pick in the draft. Last week, I did a 3-round mock draft just in case the Saints lost the #1 spot, but they did not. For this week’s edition, I just wanted to talk about the one remaining prospect that is projected to be selected at or around the #1 pick, and that is Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza.
The Saints and the QB position have been an interesting conversation all season. There is still doubt about who can be the starter for the future, and as of right now, the only answer is that Spencer Rattler is not in the running. That just leaves QB Tyler Shough as the only potential option on the roster. Given our current position in the season and the early stage of Shough’s “tryout” for the starting job, there is no reason to say that the Saints should either give up on the rookie or anoint him as the future. Still, keeping all options in mind is important just in case the Saints decide Shough is not going to cut it as the long-term starter, and this is where Fernando Mendoza comes into play.
Coming into the CFB Season, Mendoza transferred to Indiana from Cal, and he has not looked back. Indiana has become one of the top teams in the country, Mendoza is a Heisman contender, and he is the favorite to become the top pick in the NFL Draft. There is real hype behind the third-year QB, but why?
Well, Mendoza is nearly everything teams want in a QB. He is 6-foot-5, has excellent accuracy, is extremely smart, has good arm talent, and can run the ball (although not a great athlete). He also has 30 career starts in college football so far, which is around the target area for QB prospects. Mendoza’s one-year burst onto the scene is a bit of a worry, but he showed many og his abilities at Cal, and has just developed into a better QB, which is a great sign.
Now, for the Saints, Mendoza would have to be considered as an option if they keep the #1 pick. If they believe he can be the franchise, draft him; if not, trade back and allow one of the other QB-needy teams to do it. Due to the trades the Jets made at the NFL Trade Deadline, they are the favorites to end up with the first pick in the draft. Saying this, the NFL can be unpredictable at times, and we may be discussing the draft in April, with the Saints holding the top pick and potentially trading back with the Jets.
