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Not long after Fernando Mendoza quarterbacked Indiana<\/a> to a perfect season and a national title, FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt<\/a> floated the idea that he would take the Hoosiers<\/a> star over any young quarterback in the NFL<\/a> to lead his team to a game-winning drive. Now, with the 2026 NFL Draft fast approaching, Klatt not only has bought into that idea, but he might also have another top draft analyst agreeing with him.<\/p>\n In the latest episode of “The Joel Klatt Show,<\/a>” Klatt and NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay agreed that they would trust Mendoza to lead a team to a game-winning drive<\/a> in the final moments more than nearly any other young quarterback.\u00a0<\/p>\n “I think I would take Mendoza,” Klatt said, as he listed Caleb Williams<\/a>, Cam Ward<\/a> and others.<\/p>\n McShay, meanwhile, believes that the debate is between Mendoza and just one other quarterback.\u00a0<\/p>\n “It would come down to Mendoza and Drake Maye<\/a>, maybe,” McShay said. “I’m armed with what I’ve seen in the NFL, which isn’t fair. But if we’re talking about college careers, absolutely, 1,000%.\u00a0<\/p>\n “But even knowing what I know in the NFL, I still may [pick Mendoza]. He’s different.\u00a0<\/p>\n While Indiana won all 16 of its games this past season, not all of those wins were pretty. Mendoza needed to lead the Hoosiers to fourth-quarter comebacks in tough road environments at Iowa<\/a> and Penn State<\/a>. He had to make big throws and take Indiana on a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter of its win at Oregon<\/a>. He also needed to make some clutch throws and plays to help seal the win over Ohio State<\/a> in the Big Ten<\/a> Championship before doing the same thing in Indiana’s victory over Miami (Fla.)<\/a> in the title game.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/div>\n Of course, the NFL is a different level of competition than the college game, and some of the league’s top young quarterbacks proved they can handle clutch moments this past season. Williams, 24, helped the Chicago Bears<\/a> get six fourth-quarter comeback wins in 2025, which was the most in the league. Bo Nix<\/a>, 26, had five fourth-quarter comeback wins and led the league in game-winning drives (seven) for the Denver Broncos<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mendoza arguably had the best college career of any quarterback since the turn of the decade; he’s the first signal-caller to win the Heisman Trophy and national title since Joe Burrow<\/a> in 2019. That’s why Klatt thought it was an easy choice to pick Mendoza as the quarterback he’d turn to with the game on the line over the other young quarterbacks.\u00a0<\/p>\n “You take him over Cam Ward<\/a>,” Klatt said in a previous episode. “Williams? Possibly. Jayden Daniels<\/a>? Possibly? Maye? Certainly after the Super Bowl. [Michael] Penix [Jr.]<\/a> and [J.J.] McCarthy<\/a>? Absolutely. Nix? Questionable with the way Nix played in crunch time and in some of those [big] games, particularly in the fourth quarter. \u00a0<\/p>\n “Mendoza in crunch time is unbelievable. He anticipates, is accurate, smart and a great teammate. He checks every single box.”\u00a0<\/p>\n As Klatt marveled at Mendoza’s ability to perform in the clutch, McShay believes that the Indiana product’s best traits<\/a> are how he’s able to manage adversity and his leadership.\u00a0<\/p>\nWhich QB would you want in clutch time in a game? <\/h3>\n