Portal offer: Jonathan Mendoza
Virginia Tech has hopped into the mix for Yale offensive lineman Jonathan Mendoza. The 6-9, 315-pounder has several other FBS schools in the hunt.
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Originally an unranked prospect in the 2019 class out of Westhampton Beach (N.Y.), he picked Yale over multiple other Ivy League programs, and interest from other high-academic institutions such as Stanford (though the Cardinal did not offer).
After five years at Yale - a rarity brought on by Covid, given that graduate students are not typically eligible to compete in athletics in the Ivy League - he will spend his final year of NCAA eligibility elsewhere after entering the Portal last week. Duke, Houston, Kentucky, Louisville, Mississippi State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Vanderbilt, Arkansas State, Marshall, UMass, South Florida, and Tulane are also on the board for him.
Mendoza redshirted as a true freshman, and then the Ivies opted not to participate in athletics during the 2020 season. He got some playing time as a redshirt freshman in 2021, and emerged as a full-time starter and honorable mention All-Ivy selection in 2022. He was first-team all-league this Fall as the Bulldogs finished atop the Ivy League.
He has not yet announced any visit plans, though it's likely - as with most grad-transfers - that he tries to wrap up his re-recruitment quickly so he can go through spring ball wat his new institution.
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