The NFL Combine gives prospects a chance to interview with future employers. Those interviews often include questions that stray far from the ordinary. On February 27, while speaking with CBS Sports, Fernando Mendoza, who’s widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, shared one such strange encounter. During a sit-down with a team representative, he was hit with a bizarre request that he can only assume was a joke.

“It was, ‘Hey, maybe you should get arrested.’ I was a little confused, but then it was like to slide; hopefully, I don’t get arrested,” Fernando Mendoza said when CBS Sports’ Aditi Kinkhabwala asked Mendoza about the strangest question he received at the NFL Combine.

Mendoza clarified that the team that asked him this question wants to fall from the No. 1 overall pick, which he is expected to take, so that they can take him in.

Well, can we blame that team?

Certainly not. Mendoza had a historic 2025 season with Indiana, winning the Heisman Trophy and putting up solid numbers on the field. He completed 72% of his passes for 3,535 yards and threw 41 touchdowns with just six interceptions.

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Mendoza also added 276 rushing yards and seven more scores on the ground. So, bringing in a player like him into the unit would make all 32 teams go a little overboard.

As of now, his chances of going to the Las Vegas Raiders are pretty high, but teams without a No. 1 pick are trying to make their one last step.

He is the best back-shoulder thrower in the class with precise timing and ball placement. Now, he might not be the dual-threat quarterback, but he can move well enough to run option plays and avoid pressure, which makes him perfect eye candy for teams.

Everyone knows about the uncertainty the drafts hold.

Players who are projected as early-round picks sometimes move down all of a sudden. Just take Shedeur Sanders’ example, who was supposed to go in as an early first-round pick but went 5th overall to the Cleveland Browns.

Even Aaron Rodgers, who was near the top in the first round, didn’t get picked until 24th overall by the Green Bay Packers.

This gives other teams a chance to pitch for themselves and hope that Mendoza, too, falls off the grid. But looking at his combined responses and the Raiders’ interest, that looks highly unlikely.

Fernando Mendoza gets real about his next destination

After turning heads with Indiana last year, Mendoza is now aiming to become the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Now, one team that’s been showing interest in him since the start is the Raiders, and during the NFL Scouting Combine, he finished his interview with the team. During that time, he connected briefly with Tom Brady, as he was able to say hi to him on the phone.

“It was a fantastic interview,” Mendoza said. “Coaching staff was in there. We went over some of my previous plays and did plays on the board. I thought it was a great meeting.”

That said, he’s also excited to get a chance to learn from Tom Brady in the future.

“Yeah, I mean, who hasn’t admired Tom Brady? I mean, more Super Bowl rings than anybody … anybody!” Mendoza said. “So, that opportunity would be fantastic. Tom Brady, I believe, is the greatest quarterback of all time—by a wide margin—and to be able to have the opportunity to be mentored by him would mean so much.”

On top of it, Fernando Mendoza will not work out at the combine; instead, he plans to throw in at Indiana’s pro day on April 1, and later, he might also visit the Raiders. He wants to throw at his own receivers rather than throwing for someone unfamiliar. Being a perfect leader, Mendoza wants to highlight his teammates.

For now, let’s wait and see how all of his plans turn out and if he actually gets into the Raiders as the No. 1 pick or not.