The path from Bloomington to Las Vegas is becoming increasingly clear for Fernando Mendoza. With the 2026 NFL Draft less than a month away, multiple projections now have the former Indiana star going No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders, a move that would make Mendoza the centerpiece of the franchise’s latest rebuild.
The latest momentum came this week when a new seven-round Raiders mock draft from USA Today projected Mendoza as a lock for the top selection. Las Vegas owns the first pick for only the second time in franchise history, and after an aggressive offseason, the expectation around the league is that the organization will use it on the Heisman-winning quarterback.
According to the report, Mendoza is viewed as the Raiders’ answer at the game’s most important position and the player expected to usher in the next era under new offensive leadership. The projection describes him as having a pro-ready combination of size, accuracy, and decision-making, comparing him stylistically to former No. 1 pick Joe Burrow.
At 6-foot-5 and 236 pounds, Mendoza has been praised throughout the pre-draft process for his quick release, timing, and command of an offense.
The mock draft also predicts that Las Vegas could reunite Mendoza with one of his favorite targets at Indiana. In the third round, the Raiders are projected to select wide receiver Elijah Sarratt, creating a connection similar to the one that reunited Burrow with Ja'Marr Chase in Cincinnati.
Sarratt emerged as one of Mendoza’s most reliable options during Indiana’s championship season, and his familiarity with the quarterback could help ease Mendoza’s transition to the NFL.
The growing expectation around Mendoza comes after a remarkable few months in which his profile expanded far beyond college football. Following Indiana’s national championship victory, Mendoza appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he joked that scoring the game-winning touchdown felt like being “a human pinball machine.”
During the appearance, he literally broke eight vinyl records that Jimmy Fallon threw to him.
Just one day later, Mendoza officially declared for the draft. “Coming to Indiana was a leap of faith,” he said in his announcement video. “A leap that led me to going 16-0 with my boys and a National Championship.” He later added that he was ready “to take the next step.”
That step comes after one of the greatest seasons in recent college football history. Mendoza led Indiana to an undefeated season, the program’s first national championship, and its first-ever Heisman Trophy. He threw for nearly 3,000 yards, led the nation with 33 touchdown passes, and added six scores on the ground.
Throughout the rise, Mendoza repeatedly pointed back to his family—especially his mother, Elsa, who has battled multiple sclerosis for years. During his Heisman speech, he called her “my why,” telling her, “This is your trophy as much as it is mine.”
