As expected, Fernando Mendoza will be turning pro in 2026. The anticipated No. 1 pick announced on Instagram Friday he has declared for the NFL draft. 
Many of the quarterbacks held in high regard entering the 2025 college season did not meet expectations. Mendoza was an exception, however, with the Cal transfer playing a pivotal role in Indiana’s storybook campaign. The Hoosiers continued their rapid ascent under head coach Curt Cignetti this year, capping off a perfect season by winning the national championship on Monday.
Mendoza easily enjoyed the most productive season of his three-year college career along the way. He posted a 41:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio while completing 72% of his passes. Mendoza’s rushing ability is not viewed as a staple of his game at the NFL level, but he posted 276 yards and seven scores this season. That production, coupled with Indiana’s dominance, helped land Mendoza All-American honors along with several other individual accolades.
The Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Award winner has long been viewed as a first-round lock in April’s draft. Opinions were split on his ceiling as a pro passer during the regular season, although Mendoza’s stock has continued to rise through Indiana’s CFP run. The QB-needy Raiders are slated to select first overall, and Dante Moore recently elected to stay at Oregon for next season.
As a result, Mendoza is widely seen as the projected first overall pick in this year’s draft. Vegas is one of five teams with a head coaching vacancy at the moment, and the Raiders hope to bring in a HC with an offensive background. Developing Mendoza will of course be a central priority for the franchise as the Raiders look to rebound from a 3-14 showing during Pete Carroll‘s one-and-done season.
Plenty can and will change with respect to draft evaluations over the coming months. Movement near the top of the first-round order will, as always, be something to watch for as the draft approaches. With respect to the Raiders, however, anything other than calling Mendoza’s name first overall would be seen as a major upset given where things currently stand.
Well this comes as a shock.
For his sake I hope the raiders hire a good offensive coach and give that coach longer than 1-2 years
We’ll be back here in January 2027, talking about how Raiders didn’t hire right coach and ruined this college winning QB. Highlight of their 2025 season was beating Patriots to start season 1-0.
Smart team would trade the pick, it’ll get a massive overpay from someone. So the Raiders will keep it.
Agreed, they absolutely should trade it. They need so much more than a QB.
Given how much cap space they have, they can but WRs and an oline just like the Bears did last yeah for Caleb. Take the QB now.
Was he on anyone’s draft boards before he became the QB for the most loaded team?
That sounds great in theory…but I just don’t see this kid as a franchise QB. Hope I’m wrong, because he seems like a great kid, but no way would I give up multiple picks to move up for him