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Former Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 1 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft Thursday (April 23) night.
Mendoza, 22, opted not to attend the draft in Pittsburgh, instead sharing his experience with his family in Miami. The 2025 Heisman Trophy winner and national champion announced his decision to enter the 2026 NFL Draft in a video shared on his social media accounts on January 23.
Mendoza announced his decision to transfer from the University of California to Indiana in December 2024 and went on to have one of the most decorated seasons in college football history during his lone year in Bloomington. The redshirt junior threw for 3,535 yards, an NCAA-best 41 touchdowns and six interceptions on 273 of 379 passing in 2025, winning the national title and a slew of individual awards including the Heisman Trophy, College Football Playoff MVP, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Davey O'Brien Award, Associated Press College Football Player of the Year and Big Ten Most Valuable Player and being selected as a consensus All-American in 2025.
The Las Vegas Raiders currently hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft with majority owner Mark Davis and minority owner Tom Brady having attended the College Football Playoff National Championship Game amid Mendoza being projected as the top prospect. The 2026 NFL Draft will air live from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from April 23 to April 25.