2026 NFL Draft: Inside Adidas Rookie Pro Day with Fernando Mendoza, Other Top Prospects
#Adidas #NFL Draft #Fernando Mendoza #cleat customization #3-D printing #Rookie Pro Day #2026 prospects #innovation lab
📌 Key Takeaways
- Adidas hosted its first Rookie Pro Day to unveil its 2026 NFL draft signing class, featuring top prospects like quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
- The event highlighted Adidas' innovation lab, which uses 3-D printing and athlete feedback to create customized cleat prototypes.
- Fernando Mendoza provided specific design input, suggesting extra traction on the inside heel of his right cleat to support his throwing motion.
- The signing class includes multiple high-profile prospects, such as defensive linemen Arvell Reese and Rueben Bain Jr., and safety Caleb Downs.
📖 Full Retelling
PORTLAND, Ore. — At Adidas' North American Headquarters last week, Fernando Mendoza held a cleat in his hands that, uncharacteristically, didn’t have the three diagonal stripes the brand is known for. Not yet. That’s because this shoe is a prototype, still in the design process. Those distinctive stripes will be the finishing touch. But first, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback and presumptive No. 1 overall draft pick had a few suggestions. This cleat, after all, is special because of its potential for customization. Adidas uses 3-D printing to empower its innovation lab technicians to make a boutique shoe, in this case one specially made for Mendoza. The innovation lab takes up an entire floor and features a small basketball court, a 40-yard dash track, a batting cage and other spaces for athlete-cleat testing. Mendoza was here for Adidas' first-ever Rookie Pro Day, a promotional event to announce the brand's 2026 signing class. The class also includes a number of other top NFL prospects: defensive linemen Arvell Reese and Rueben Bain Jr., safety Caleb Downs, receivers Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, Denzel Boston, Makai Lemon and KC Concepcion, and tight end Kenyon Sadiq. At the event, Mendoza sat with seven members of the Adidas innovation team, including Marc Makowski, SVP of creative direction and innovation. "Could you put extra traction on the cleat here?" Mendoza said, pointing to the inside heel of the right cleat. He demonstrated how he pushes off that back foot during his throwing motion, with that heel often sitting at an angle, akin to a receiver breaking out of a cut. One technician asked: "Would that be weird if you only had the extra traction on the back foot?" "No, I think that would be good," Mendoza replied. The innovation team pulled out a 3-D rendering of Mendoza’s foot. One technician explained that because the QB’s midfoot is a little more advanced than the average person's, the team could use the surface area for the additional points of grip
🏷️ Themes
Sports Marketing, Product Innovation
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Original Source
PORTLAND, Ore. — At Adidas' North American Headquarters last week, Fernando Mendoza held a cleat in his hands that, uncharacteristically, didn’t have the three diagonal stripes the brand is known for. Not yet. That’s because this shoe is a prototype, still in the design process. Those distinctive stripes will be the finishing touch. But first, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback and presumptive No. 1 overall draft pick had a few suggestions. This cleat, after all, is special because of its potential for customization. Adidas uses 3-D printing to empower its innovation lab technicians to make a boutique shoe, in this case one specially made for Mendoza. The innovation lab takes up an entire floor and features a small basketball court, a 40-yard dash track, a batting cage and other spaces for athlete-cleat testing. Mendoza was here for Adidas' first-ever Rookie Pro Day, a promotional event to announce the brand's 2026 signing class. The class also includes a number of other top NFL prospects: defensive linemen Arvell Reese and Rueben Bain Jr., safety Caleb Downs, receivers Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, Denzel Boston, Makai Lemon and KC Concepcion, and tight end Kenyon Sadiq. At the event, Mendoza sat with seven members of the Adidas innovation team, including Marc Makowski, SVP of creative direction and innovation. "Could you put extra traction on the cleat here?" Mendoza said, pointing to the inside heel of the right cleat. He demonstrated how he pushes off that back foot during his throwing motion, with that heel often sitting at an angle, akin to a receiver breaking out of a cut. One technician asked: "Would that be weird if you only had the extra traction on the back foot?" "No, I think that would be good," Mendoza replied. The innovation team pulled out a 3-D rendering of Mendoza’s foot. One technician explained that because the QB’s midfoot is a little more advanced than the average person's, the team could use the surface area for the additional points of grip
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