Fernando Mendoza made a public announcement on LinkedIn earlier this year that he was "open to work." By Thursday, that declaration will likely turn into reality as he is projected to be selected first overall in the 2026 NFL Draft—assuming no last‑minute surprises upend the board. Mendoza is a self‑identified nerd, a thoughtful analyst, an exuberant competitor, and a polished business graduate who leads by example both on the gridiron and off it. He is poised to become the new marquee face of the Las Vegas Raiders.
If there has been any perceived dip in the usual hype that surrounds a No. 1 pick, the Indiana quarterback seems blissfully unaware and uninterested. He is accustomed to being undervalued, to modest pre‑draft expectations, and to consistently surpassing those projections—much like an underdog national champion who defies the odds.
Once, 247Sports placed Mendoza at only the 134th‑best quarterback prospect in the 2022 class and ranked him 250th among all players in Florida coming out of Miami’s Christopher Columbus High School. Today, he stands as the latest signal‑caller tasked with revitalising a franchise that is desperate for direction. Historically, the top slot in the NFL Draft has been occupied by a quarterback in 21 of the last 30 years, including eight of the past ten selections and all of the previous three drafts.
If Mendoza is chosen first, he will extend that remarkable streak. The 22‑year‑old was born in Boston but grew up in Miami.
After graduating from Christopher Columbus High School, he originally committed to the Ivy League powerhouse Yale, only to later switch his commitment to the University of California. He spent three seasons with the Golden Bears before transferring to Indiana University in December 2024. At Indiana, Mendoza ignited a breakout campaign, steering the Hoosiers to an immaculate 16‑0 record and securing the school’s first ever College Football National Championship with a 27‑21 victory over Miami.
His stellar performance earned him College Football Player of the Year honors and made him Indiana’s inaugural Heisman Trophy winner. He completed the season completing 273 of 379 passes for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns and just six interceptions. Those numbers cemented his status as a consensus top‑pick candidate. "You have to look at his arm talent," observed Sky Sports NFL analyst Phoebe Schecter on Inside the Huddle.
"He shows great pocket presence and impressive arm strength. What you don’t always see in college is a quarterback who can throw from the hash marks to the sideline with equal precision.
He can get the ball anywhere on the field, a skill that translates well to the NFL. He was consistent all season, which is the biggest leap in his development. He’s comfortable attacking the middle, isn’t shy about deep shots, and possesses the bravery that comes with leadership both on and off the field." Being the No.
1 quarterback pick carries the weight of expectation to transform an entire organization—a reality that looms large over the Raiders. Las Vegas recently dismissed Pete Carroll after a single season and moved on from veteran starter Geno Smith following a seventh losing campaign in the past decade. The Raiders have appointed Klint Kubiak as head coach, making him the 15th different leader since the turn of the century (including two separate stints by Jon Gruden).
Kubiak and Mendoza will be tasked with reviving a team that has reached the playoffs only twice since its Super Bowl loss after the 2002 season, and both appearances ended in defeat. Quarterback remains the most pivotal position in football.
Draft selections at that spot sometimes falter, but franchises understand they can never invest enough in a player who commands the offense. "The quarterback is the most valued position in football," said Sky Sports NFL’s Jeff Reinebold.
"Whenever you have a chance to acquire a true franchise quarterback, you take it. Mendoza possesses enough of the requisite traits to merit the first overall selection. This draft isn’t rich in quarterback talent.
Ty Simpson might be a late‑first‑round surprise, but he’s a risk. Is Mendoza the best overall player?
No. Is he the best quarterback? Absolutely." The Raiders have already made strides in the offseason, signing center Tyler Linderbaum to a three‑year, $81 million deal and bolstering the defense with defensive end Kwity Paye and linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker.
Adding Mendoza would be a monumental step toward restoring the silver and black to contention. Mendoza may lack the flamboyant off‑field persona often associated with young quarterbacks, but he compensates with a prototypical blend of accuracy, precise placement, down‑field aggression and rhythm. Consistently delivering the ball on target was a hallmark of his championship season, leaving little room for error. NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah likened Mendoza’s size and arm strength to former Atlanta Falcons star Matt Ryan, while Lance Zierlein drew parallels to Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.
"Mendoza is an extremely accurate thrower with great size, toughness and sufficient athleticism," Jeremiah noted. "He thrives out of the shotgun and leans heavily on the RPO. His hands are quick, his decisions sound, and he’s precise on rapid throws.
On third‑and‑seven or longer, you see him drive the ball into the seam with velocity and pinpoint back‑shoulder placement. He’s incredibly tough, staying upright in the pocket and taking big hits without flinching." The Raiders will hold the No. 1 pick for the first time since 2007, when they selected LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell—a selection that ultimately became a cautionary tale after three seasons, 31 games (25 starts) and an early exit from the league.
Since then, the only period of quarterback stability for the franchise came from Derek Carr, who started from 2014 to 2022 but never secured a playoff win. Looking ahead to 2026, any new Raiders quarterback will also have the unique opportunity to work under seven‑time Super Bowl champion and minority‑owner Tom Brady.
"It would mean the world," Mendoza said on The Rich Eisen Show. "Tom Brady will pour into whichever quarterback they take or sign, like Kirk Cousins. To have that chance would be amazing.
If the Raiders pick me, he’ll be a boss—not the childhood fantasy of being best friends, but still incredibly cool. I want to be pushed to become the best quarterback I can be." Mendoza has confirmed he will not attend the draft ceremony in person on Thursday night; instead, he plans to celebrate at home with his family, prioritising his mother Elsa’s health.
Elsa, a wheelchair‑bound multiple‑sclerosis patient of nearly two decades, has been a central figure in his life. "I wanted to make the memory with everyone who contributed to my football journey—mentors, family, coaches, friends. Sharing that moment with them will be the best memory I can create," he explained on the Rich Eisen Show.
In 2024, Mendoza and his brother Alberto launched a fundraising drive for the National MS Society, surpassing their $20,000 goal by raising more than $364,000. Elsa penned a heartfelt letter to her son in The Players' Tribune ahead of the Heisman ceremony, thanking him for making her feel "seen" and "the opposite of embarrassed" in the "sweetest, strongest and most Fernando way possible." She joked that even the legendary Tom Brady never made the Heisman finalist list, a quip she hopes to share with him someday at the Raiders facility.
"You have a future that’s incredibly bright and a heart that’s overflowing," she wrote, describing Fernando as her "gentle giant." Whether or not Mendoza generates the same buzz as other top‑draft quarterbacks in a polarised class, he arrives as a natural leader with undeniable talent—someone whose story makes it easy for fans to rally behind him. Watch all three days of the 2026 NFL Draft live on Sky Sports, with Day One kicking off at 1 a.m.
Friday morning.