It’s crazy to think how close Fernando Mendoza came to a completely different path. Before Cal and eventually Indiana, the current Heisman winner nearly chose a program where football wasn’t the top priority. If taken, this move could’ve stalled his NFL dreams. However, former Cal OC Bill Musgrave changed everything.

Fernando Mendoza first committed to Yale and was completely planning to take that path. At the time, he seriously underestimated just how high his quarterback potential really was. That all changed with one phone call.

Former Cal offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave reached out to Mendoza’s QB coach, David Lee. That did all the magic. Mendoza recently narrated that moment in a conversation with ESPN’s Ian Fitzsimmons.

“He’s been one of the best coordinators and quarterback coaches I’ve been around for so much of my football knowledge,” said Mendoza. “But also as a character and just as a teammate, he made the call to the quarterback coach saying, ‘Hey, I’m gonna come down there, do a little bit of pro day, test him on IQ, see him throw a little bit.’

He came down and saw him, and after that, he’s like, ‘Hey, I want to offer you.’ I’m like, okay, great. Sounds good. Like, how much is tuition? Because I thought he was talking as a walk-on. He’s like, ‘I want to offer you a scholarship.’ And I’m like, wow, he’s believing in me like that? That’s insane.”

It’s honestly wild to think that if that one phone call had never occurred, Fernando Mendoza might’ve stayed in the shadows. Coming out of Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, Mendoza wasn’t highly touted at all.

He was a low three-star recruit, ranked around 140th among quarterbacks in his class, and big-time programs barely noticed him. Even his hometown team, Miami, reportedly hesitated to offer him a walk-on spot.

Yale was the first school to identify him. The Bulldogs offered him a scholarship in August 2021, and Mendoza took it. During his visit, Yale even used a former Bulldog’s Heisman Trophy as part of the pitch; little did they know.

However, Ivy League football has always prioritized academics alongside athletics. The league doesn’t offer athletic scholarships, and until 2025, Ivy League schools didn’t even participate in postseason football.

That is not the type of competition Mendoza needed. It could’ve legit slowed his growth and NFL relevance. However, everything changed late in his senior year. In December, after the early signing period, Cal hit him with a full scholarship. The reason? A connection.

David Lee reached out to his friend Bill Musgrave, who was Cal’s offensive coordinator during that time. Musgrave enjoyed what he saw on film, pushed the head coach to take a chance, and the offer finally made it to his doorstep.

Mendoza hurried and exited Yale just to sign with Cal in early 2022. However, there’s an irony in this. Mendoza redshirted during Musgrave’s final season at Cal. So he never actually got to showcase what Musgrave taught him on the field. Musgrave left for the Cleveland Browns in November 2022, just before Mendoza took over as the starter.

Still, the foundation was set. Over the next two seasons, under a different offensive system, Mendoza exploded for 4,712 passing yards and 30 touchdowns.

Can Bill Musgrave make the same type of pull for the pros?

Bill Musgrave is now the QB coach of the Cleveland Browns. So, once Fernando Mendoza started earning overall No.1 pick predictions after his 2025 season, everyone expected a reunion. The two share a bond of trust from their Cal days, so the hype made sense. A similar storyline involving Shedeur Sanders unfolded. He even had a strong connection to Musgrave through his father, Deion Sanders.

In the end, the Browns ultimately drafted him in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. So, that formula might be the same way for Mendoza. Some mocks even projected him to the Browns, with one ESPN mock slotting him as their first pick.

But as January progressed, the narrative shifted. Late mock drafts now point to the Las Vegas Raiders as Mendoza’s most likely destination.

Top Stories

What Is Riley Nowakowski’s Ethnicity? Is He European? Exploring Parents & Family Roots

Fired Sean McDermott Doesn’t Hold Back in Final Message to Bills Mafia As Locker Room ‘Sickened’ by HC’s Removal

NASCAR Team Part Ways With Manufacturers Leaving Ford Helpless

Troy Aikman Allegedly Forced Mike McDaniel’s Firing as $6.35 Billion NFL Team Rejects Ousted Dolphins Coach

Josh Allen’s Bills Coach to Quietly Retire as Sean McDermott Addresses ‘Tough End’ After Broncos Loss

What is Mark Fletcher Jr. ‘s NIL Deals in 2025 – Salary with the Miami Hurricanes and Career Earnings

Vegas already has young weapons like Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty, giving a rookie QB real support. Then there’s Tom Brady, a minority owner of the Raiders and Mendoza’s childhood idol. And yes, Brady has publicly called Fernando Mendoza his favorite college football QB.