Fernando Mendoza Nfl Draft Indiana Qb To Replace 75 Million Qb

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Jan 11, 2026, 6:48 AM

fernando mendoza nfl draft indiana qb to replace 75 million qb

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s NFL draft projections have the Heisman Trophy winner as a heavy favorite to be the No. 1 pick. This means the Las Vegas Raiders could soon be replacing Geno Smith with Mendoza in the coming months if the latest NFL mock drafts prove true. Smith proved to be an expensive experiment gone wrong, and his future remains even more uncertain after Las Vegas fired Pete Carroll. The legendary coach pushed to trade for Smith in one of his first major moves with the Raiders, reuniting the former Seattle Seahawks. This reunion led to just three wins in 2025 and could ultimately usher in the Mendoza era in Vegas.

Here’s what you need to know about Mendoza’s NFL draft stock. After transferring from Cal, Mendoza has accumulated quite a resume at Indiana. After 20 games at Cal, Mendoza saved his best ball for the Big Ten. Fernando Mendoza is having one of those moments where college football success, NFL projection and timing all come together. On Saturday night, he will arrive at the Heisman Trophy ceremony as one of the sport’s biggest stars, a favorite to win the award and the clear face of the Indiana Hoosiers' rise. At the same time, his name is already being penciled into the future of an NFL franchise searching for stability at quarterback.

Mendoza is just 22 years old, a Miami, Florida native with a prototypical NFL frame at 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds. He looks the part, plays the part and now the draft world is beginning to treat him like a franchise quarterback in waiting. Athlon Sports’ latest 2026 NFL mock draft projects Mendoza as the No. 2 overall pick, landing with the Las Vegas Raiders. That projection alone speaks volumes about how quickly his stock has climbed. Saturday night's Heisman ceremony only strengthens Mendoza’s momentum.

The Indiana quarterback enters the night as the favorite after a dominant season that reshaped both his program and his personal career. He tossed for 2,980 yards, piled up 33 passing touchdowns and limited mistakes with just six interceptions. Those numbers came against Big Ten competition and under weekly national scrutiny. What scouts pay attention to goes beyond the stat sheet. Mendoza shows great command at the line of scrimmage, consistent accuracy to all levels, and the calm presence teams look for when projecting Sunday performance. His size allows him to see the field cleanly, and his touch on intermediate throws has been one of his calling cards throughout the season.

Fernando Mendoza is a quarterback from Indiana who is ranked No. 5 on my NFL Draft Top 100 Big Board. This comprehensive scouting report analyzes Mendoza’s draft potential, current mock draft trends, and where he ranks among the top prospects. Fernando Mendoza began the regular season as a legitimate QB1 candidate in an uncertain QB class, and he’s somehow delivered tenfold on expectations, morphing into a QB1 favorite alongside Dante Moore. Through the regular season, he’s thrown for 2,738 yards, 32 touchdowns, and just five interceptions in seven games. He has the second-highest PFSN QBi score in the PFSN CFB QBi database with a mark of 92.2, and he has the Indiana Hoosiers in their strongest position in almost six decades.

Every week, it’s been something different Mendoza does on tape that earns the allure of NFL Draft minds. In his outing against Illinois, it was his timeliness and ability to distribute efficiently. Against Iowa, it was his ability to rebound from a tough late-game interception to throw the game-winning touchdown pass with pressure bearing down. Against Oregon, it was his unflinching consistency driving the ball outside the numbers with anticipation. Against Michigan State, it was his effortless deep touch and layering on boundary fades. And against Penn State, it was his ultimate clutch gene under the highest pressure, without his top target in Elijah Sarratt.

Against Penn State, disaster almost struck for Mendoza and the Hoosiers. Mendoza uncharacteristically struggled to string together drives, and he threw a bad interception late in the game—attempting to drive the ball to a corner route on a late trigger, keying in a safety to... That INT led to a lead-gaining touchdown for Penn State, but then laser-eyed Mendoza locked in. After taking a sack on the first play of the final drive, Mendoza went 5 for 9 for 87 yards from that point on, dishing fearless drive throw after fearless drive throw. The drive culminated in an incredible touchdown pass and catch from Mendoza to Omar Cooper Jr., wherein Mendoza threw it where only Cooper could reach. Fernando Mendoza wasn't expected to be the top quarterback prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Following his surprise Heisman Trophy 2025 season at Indiana, however, now he will be taken high in the first round as the first QB off the board on April 23. Why has Mendoza shot up draft boards for his play, and what's his pro outlook? Here's a profile of the Hoosiers passer, including what teams are most likely to draft him. MORE 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NEWS: Mendoza (6-5, 225) has the ideal size as a strong pocket passer. The Cal transfer and Miami high school product was a hit in Curt Cignetti's dynamic offense.

He's developed all the physical and mental qualities to be a top-10 pick for a QB-needy team. Indiana’s first test of the season wasn’t much of a test at all. The Hoosiers blew out Big Ten rival Illinois 63-10, and quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who transferred to Indiana this spring after spending his first two college seasons at Cal, led the way by completing 21... The 16th-ranked prospect on the PFF Big Board, Mendoza, at least on the surface, appears to be living up to expectations. Through the first month of the season, his 90.0 PFF passing grade ranks fourth in the country among quarterbacks with at least 100 dropbacks, and his 83.2% adjusted completion percentage leads college football. He has already posted 14 passing touchdowns (including three straight games with at least four) and has yet to throw an interception (he does have one turnover-worthy play).

Game grades, positional splits and high-level metrics for Mendoza's 2025 season. While the surface numbers are fantastic, the reality is that Mendoza has yet to be challenged. His three big-time throws at this stage are just the 66th most nationally, as he simply hasn’t been asked to make many difficult intermediate or deep passes into tight coverage. His offensive line has also kept his jersey pristine, as they’ve yet to be charged with a sack or hit with only 14 pressures allowed on the season. In 2024 at Cal, Mendoza was under far more pressure than he’s seen to date at Indiana — and he was far more turnover-prone, too. PFF tabbed him for 17 turnover-worthy plays last season.

Three of those plays were fumbles, while 12 of the 14 throws deemed turnover-worthy were either forced or predetermined to his primary target. Fernando Mendoza has emerged as one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft class after transferring to Indiana and immediately elevating the Hoosiers’ offense. At 6’5”, 225 pounds, Mendoza brings an ideal NFL frame paired with natural passing instincts, decisive processing, and consistent ball placement on short-to-intermediate throws. Originally a 3-star recruit in the 2022 class (per 247Sports), Mendoza flashed NFL-level arm talent at California before transferring in 2025 to play under Kurt Cignetti. His command of Indiana’s pro-style/RPO hybrid offense and ability to diagnose coverage post-snap have drawn comparisons to modern system passers like Jared Goff. Mendoza’s film showcases a composed pocket passer who wins with anticipation, accuracy, and mental processing.

He manipulates defenders with his eyes, layers throws over linebackers, and delivers on-time passes into tight windows. His base and mechanics are consistent from clean pockets, and his arm strength allows him to drive the football to all three levels. Though not a dynamic runner, Mendoza has enough mobility to escape pressure and deliver off-platform throws with poise. Pro-Style / RPO Blend Offense — best suited for timing-based passing attacks emphasizing rhythm, layered route concepts, and pocket efficiency. Fits offenses similar to the Rams, Lions, or Vikings, where timing and anticipation define the quarterback play. Outstanding size and frame: Ideal 6’5” build with high release and easy velocity generation.

MIAMI ― Fernando Mendoza sat in the front seat of the rental car on the six-hour drive from Miami to Gainesville, dialing one college coach after another. He had just finished a week-long visit to some of college football’s most elite programs in the Southeastern Conference – Alabama, Clemson, South Carolina, LSU – and Mendoza, then a high school junior quarterback,... One after another, he called and asked the coaches if he could play for them. One after another, their answer was an unequivocal “no.” He ended each call with the corresponding cheer from that team – “Go Tigers!”, “Roll Tide!” – characteristically upbeat, despite the rejections. After checking into a Gainesville hotel with his speed and conditioning coach, Antonio Robinson, Mendoza confided something that had been weighing on him.

His mother had recently confessed she’d long been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, an incurable disease of the nervous system. He had to win, he told him, for her. Indiana burst onto the national scene last season, going 11-2 and making the College Football Playoff. The Hoosiers are showing that 2024 wasn’t a fluke and are gearing up for a run at the Big Ten title. They jumped to 11th in the AP Poll following a 63-10 rout over Illinois to improve to 4-0. The biggest reason for Indiana’s hot start is quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who has looked flawless through four games.

Mendoza came into 2025 largely overlooked, but he’s now in the discussion for the best quarterback in this class. His early-season production is undeniable, but can he cement himself as the best signal-caller in the 2026 NFL Draft? Mendoza wasn’t a highly-touted prospect coming out of Columbus (Florida). He was a three-star recruit and the 134th-ranked quarterback in the Class of 2022. Mendoza went across the country and committed to California. After redshirting in 2022, he saw his first collegiate action in 2023.

Mendoza entered his redshirt freshman season third on the depth chart, but took over as the starter midway through 2023. In eight starts, he completed 63% of his passes for 1,708 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. 2024 gave Mendoza his first opportunity to be the full-time starter, and he improved upon his 2023 campaign. He threw for 3,004 yards, 16 touchdowns, and six interceptions while completing 68.7% of his throws in 11 games. After three seasons in Berkeley, Mendoza entered the transfer portal. He was much more sought-after this time around, being the fourth-ranked transfer quarterback in 2025.

Mendoza joined Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers to replace Kurtis Rourke under center. Through four games, he’s been as dominant as any player in the nation, leading the FBS with 14 touchdown passes, along with having 975 passing yards, no interceptions, and completing 76.8% of his passes. Mendoza is fresh off back-to-back games with five touchdown passes. The first thing that stands out when watching Mendoza is his arm strength. He generates exceptional velocity on his throws, allowing him to thread passes into tight windows. Mendoza is an effective passer on all three levels, routinely hitting short, intermediate, and deep throws.

Fernando Mendoza Nfl Draft Indiana Qb To Replace 75 Million Qb

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