{"id":781400,"date":"2026-02-28T04:50:24","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T04:50:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/781400\/"},"modified":"2026-02-28T04:50:24","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T04:50:24","slug":"fernando-mendoza-receives-a-standing-ovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/781400\/","title":{"rendered":"Fernando Mendoza receives a standing ovation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fernando Mendoza has the NFL Combine buzzing<\/a>, as the projected No. 1 pick was in the building. The place should be really familiar to him, as he played football just an hour away from where the combine is. That doesn’t mean that he still isn’t getting love in the city, and apparently, he walked into a steakhouse<\/a> and people went crazy for him.<\/p>\n

\u201cApparently, the staff stopped, put down their plates, put down their jobs, and their server trays, and gave him a standing ovation as he walked in as the Indiana legend,\u201d Peter Schrager said on NFL on ESPN.<\/p>\n

“12 months ago I don’t know if we would’ve even thought that Fernando Mendoza<\/a> would be at the combine, let alone being the number one pick in the draft.” <\/p>\n

\u2014 @PSchrags<\/a> details Mendoza’s meteoric rise \u2604\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/APsDdV6UZO<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) February 27, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

This should be no surprise as Mendoza helped lead Indiana to the national championship this year, defeating Miami 27-21.<\/p>\n

Now, Mendoza has a chance to become the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft, and there’s a really good chance he could be drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders.<\/p>\n

\u201c12 months ago I don’t know if we would’ve even thought that Fernando Mendoza would be at the combine, let alone being the number one pick in the draft,\u201d Schrager said.<\/p>\n

Mendoza had a formal meeting with the Raiders<\/a> at the combine, and he spoke about the chance to interact with them.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a fantastic interview,\u201d Mendoza said. \u201cThe coaching staff was in there, we went over some of my previous plays, drew some plays on the board. I thought it was a great meeting. I know they have the No. 1 pick, but anything can happen in the draft. I’m just excited for the opportunity, and whatever team drafts me, I’m going to give them everything I got.\u201d<\/p>\n

With how the Raiders struggled on offense last season, it would not be a surprise to see them select Mendoza with the No. 1 pick, and they won’t regret it.<\/p>\n