Fernando Mendoza was vocal on Friday about drawing inspiration from his potential future employer, Tom Brady.
The Indiana product is largely expected to be the first pick in the upcoming NFL draft, a selection owned by Brady’s Las Vegas Raiders. During an interview this week with Colin Cowherd, Mendoza was asked about any quarterbacks he drew inspiration from growing up.
Mendoza first mentioned Brady and thanked the Raiders’ minority owner for making him believe he could be a great quarterback at a young age. Mendoza claimed he saw a lot of similarities between himself and Brady, which led him down his current path of success at the college level.
“As a child, I was always a huge Tom Brady fan,” Mendoza said. “I read the TB12 book. I was always big on preparation, because like Tom, I’m not the biggest. I’m not the fastest. I’m not the strongest. But the edge is in the intellect and the preparation. So I really appreciate him preaching that message from a young age.
“And what’s really important about being a quarterback is being cerebral. Knowing where to go with the ball, knowing your checks, and all those different external factors that you don’t think about when you just think about arm talent and footwork.”
Mendoza may not be entering the corporate world as most graduates would, but the man already knows that talking highly of your boss is a pretty good move when taking a new job.
One edge Mendoza does have over Brady is foot speed. The Indiana star rushed for 473 yards and 11 touchdowns on 225 carries across three college football seasons, including his now-iconic touchdown run in the national title game.
Brady, on the other hand, tallied just 90 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground over his four-year stint at Michigan. Brady, of course, turned out all right without being fleet of foot.
