Fernando Mendoza Declares for 2026 NFL Draft After Indiana’s CFP Title, Latest Mock Draft Projection
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza had an unforgettable 2025 season. Now he’s off to the NFL.
The Hoosiers quarterback announced Friday that he’s bypassing his senior season and will enter his name into the 2026 NFL draft.
“My LinkedIn status is now ‘Open to Work,'” Mendoza said in a video on Instagram.
Mendoza, 22, was excellent for the Hoosiers this season, throwing for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns and just six interceptions while completing 72.0 percent of his passes. He led Indiana to a perfect 16-0 record en route to a College Football Playoff national title.
In the process, Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy and put himself in the conversation to be the top overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. It was quite the glow-up after transferring from Cal after two seasons in Berkeley.
Mendoza is currently projected to go No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders in the latest mock draft from Bleacher Report’s NFL Scouting Department.
This year’s crop of prospects isn’t considered particularly stacked at the quarterback position. Mendoza is clearly the top passer available.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. noted in November that Mendoza took a major step forward in 2025 because he is avoiding sacks and “getting the ball out quicker. And while he doesn’t have a huge arm, he can make all the necessary NFL-level throws. His ball placement is fantastic. I wouldn’t consider him a dual threat, but Mendoza also has enough mobility to pick up first downs as a scrambler.”
Bleacher Report’s Damian Parson compared Mendoza to “Matt Ryan with mobility” in his scouting report.
It’s no surprise, then, that Mendoza is off to the NFL. And it won’t be a surprise if he’s the top player off the board.
