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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 28: Fernando Mendoza of the Indiana Hoosiers looks on during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
In just a few short weeks, the Las Vegas Raiders will make Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. After putting together a fantastic undefeated season with the Hoosiers, culminating in winning the Heisman Trophy and a national championship, Mendoza is set to enter the league with a lot of fanfare and all the expectations that come with being the No. 1 pick in a high-profile class.
In 2025, Mendoza threw for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns to just six interceptions, completing 72.0 percent of his passes. He added 276 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
Las Vegas Raiders Target Fernando Mendoza Announces His Plans for the NFL Draft
Fernando Mendoza
GettyMIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JANUARY 19: Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers rushes with the ball against the Miami Hurricanes in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium on January 19, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
The NFL Draft is a big moment for these players. Most of them have worked the majority of their lives to hear their names called on that stage, to walk across it and put on their new team’s hat, take the photo, and enjoy a moment of reaching the next (and biggest) stage of their careers.
But some prefer to take a quieter approach. That’s what Mendoza has just informed the Raiders and the league, per ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter. Instead of partaking in all the fanfare in Pittsburgh, Mendoza is choosing to enjoy the moment with his family in Miami.
“Projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza has informed the NFL that he is not planning to attend the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh this month, per sources,” Schefter wrote on Tuesday. “Mendoza wants to share the draft experience with his family in Miami.”
It’s a small thing, but it speaks to something Mendoza’s coaches and teammates in Indiana have raved about over the last year: his character. Not that attending the draft in-person says anything negative about all the prospects that joyfully choose to do so, but Mendoza’s humble, family-oriented personality is part of what makes him so endearing to fans and the Raiders alike.
The Las Vegas Raiders Have a Plan for Fernando Mendoza
Even the best quarterback prospects can be ruined by a poor environment when they enter the league. The Raiders are doing their best to ensure that doesn’t happen to Mendoza, not on their watch. After hiring Klint Kubiak from the Seahawks to be their new head coach, Las Vegas set about improving the infrastructure around their soon-to-be rookie quarterback.
The next step was signing veteran QB Kirk Cousins to begin the season as the starter. By not rushing Mendoza into the lineup, the Raiders don’t have to worry about him getting pummeled behind a poor offensive line or developing bad habits with subpar receivers. When Mendoza and the offense are both ready, then and only then will he be asked to step up and start making plays.
The Raiders hope this approach will help protect Mendoza, while also giving him the runway to learn the ropes without being slammed in the media for his every mistake. Time will tell if it works out.