The Las Vegas Raiders remain the heavy favorite to draft Mendoza, and buzz around a potential fit alongside Tom Brady continues to accompany his name as the process unfolds.
Mendoza spoke about the personal foundation for his choice on The Rich Eisen Show, emphasizing his mother’s daily strength and his own no-complaint approach: “I see her fighting every day, and with a smile on her face, so there’s no excuse for me to have a bad day.”
Elsa Mendoza, a former University of Miami tennis player, brings firsthand experience with competition and pressure, shaping her support for her son through a challenging recruiting path.
Mendoza’s journey was far from linear. At nine, he was listed as the fourth-choice quarterback on his team, and in the 2022 class he stood at 2,149th nationally and 140th among quarterbacks, with only one Power Five offer arriving late in the cycle.
Through patience and persistent work, guided by Elsa’s message to stay committed, Mendoza navigated a lengthy road to the NFL Combine and remains a notable prospect for teams evaluating quarterbacks for the 2026 draft.
