Indiana University Athletics
First Round Fernando
4/23/2026 9:00:00 PM | Football
PITTSBURGH – Surrounded by family and friends in his hometown of Miami, Florida, quarterback Fernando Mendoza was selected with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. The unanimous national player of the year is the 13th first-round selection in program history and 12th-ever No. 1 pick for a Big Ten Conference member.
Mendoza is the second-ever Hoosier drafted with the first overall pick and the first to be drafted 1.1 in the common draft era. He joined halfback Corbett Davis (1938) in the IU draft record books and is the first, first-round pick for Indiana since Thomas Lewis went 24th overall to the New York Giants in 1994.
With his selection atop the NFL Draft, he is just the fourth player in the common draft era to go No. 1 overall, win the Heisman Trophy and claim a national title in the same season. He is among a group that includes Joe Burrow (LSU, 2019). Jameis Winston (Florida State, 2013) and Cam Newton (2010, Auburn).
He is the first Big Ten student-athlete to be selected first overall in the NFL since 2008 (Jake Long, OT – Michigan) and joins Jeff George (1990) of Illinois as the only two Big Ten quarterbacks selected with the No. 1 overall pick in conference history.
Indiana is now the fourth program to have multiple No. 1 overall selections in the NFL while a member of the conference. It joins Michigan (2), Ohio State (3) and Penn State (2).
The fourth player selected by the Raiders in program history joins Nolan Harrison (1991, DT), Gary Gooden (DB, 1989) and Eric Stolberg (1970, WR) as draft picks by the organization. He will join former Indiana tight end Ian Thomas in Las Vegas.
Mendoza led the nation in passing touchdowns (41) and touchdowns responsible for (48), both set IU single season standards. He is the third Big Ten quarterback since 2000 with three-straight games of at least four passing touchdowns and zero interceptions - C.J. Stroud (Ohio State; 2021) and Kyle Orton (Purdue; 2004, four straight). The Miami, Florida, native was also the only FBS quarterback since at least 1996 with multiple games of at least 90 percent completion and four touchdown passes versus Power 4 opponents.
In 2025, Mendoza was the lone FBS quarterback with five games of 4-plus touchdown passes and zero interceptions and paced the FBS in percentage of passes that resulted in a touchdown at 10.8%, over one point higher than the next closest passer (Julian Sayin, Ohio State; 9.2%).
He threw a touchdown pass in 14 of 16 games in 2025 and posted five games with both a passing and rushing touchdown. He threw 41 touchdowns to just six interceptions and tied for No. 2 on the team with seven rushing touchdowns.
Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy, AP College Football National Player of the Year, Davey O'Brien Award, Manning Award, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Hispanic Football Hall of Fame College Player of the Year and the Chicago Tribune Silver Football.
He was a consensus All-America, earned Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year and Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year. The third Hoosier to earn Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year with Anthony Thompson (1988 & 1989) and Antwaan Randle El (2001), Mendoza was the seventh IU signal caller and first since Randle El in 2001 to earn first-team All-B1G honors Since 1950, he is just the third Hoosier to claim the first team spot at quarterback along with Randle El and Harry Gonso (1967).
He was the Big Ten Championship Game MVP, Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl Offensive MVP and College Football Playoff National Championship Game Offensive MVP. His play in the postseason also earned him the quarterback nod on the AP All-College Football Playoff Team.
Mendoza is the second-ever Hoosier drafted with the first overall pick and the first to be drafted 1.1 in the common draft era. He joined halfback Corbett Davis (1938) in the IU draft record books and is the first, first-round pick for Indiana since Thomas Lewis went 24th overall to the New York Giants in 1994.
With his selection atop the NFL Draft, he is just the fourth player in the common draft era to go No. 1 overall, win the Heisman Trophy and claim a national title in the same season. He is among a group that includes Joe Burrow (LSU, 2019). Jameis Winston (Florida State, 2013) and Cam Newton (2010, Auburn).
He is the first Big Ten student-athlete to be selected first overall in the NFL since 2008 (Jake Long, OT – Michigan) and joins Jeff George (1990) of Illinois as the only two Big Ten quarterbacks selected with the No. 1 overall pick in conference history.
Indiana is now the fourth program to have multiple No. 1 overall selections in the NFL while a member of the conference. It joins Michigan (2), Ohio State (3) and Penn State (2).
The fourth player selected by the Raiders in program history joins Nolan Harrison (1991, DT), Gary Gooden (DB, 1989) and Eric Stolberg (1970, WR) as draft picks by the organization. He will join former Indiana tight end Ian Thomas in Las Vegas.
Mendoza led the nation in passing touchdowns (41) and touchdowns responsible for (48), both set IU single season standards. He is the third Big Ten quarterback since 2000 with three-straight games of at least four passing touchdowns and zero interceptions - C.J. Stroud (Ohio State; 2021) and Kyle Orton (Purdue; 2004, four straight). The Miami, Florida, native was also the only FBS quarterback since at least 1996 with multiple games of at least 90 percent completion and four touchdown passes versus Power 4 opponents.
In 2025, Mendoza was the lone FBS quarterback with five games of 4-plus touchdown passes and zero interceptions and paced the FBS in percentage of passes that resulted in a touchdown at 10.8%, over one point higher than the next closest passer (Julian Sayin, Ohio State; 9.2%).
He threw a touchdown pass in 14 of 16 games in 2025 and posted five games with both a passing and rushing touchdown. He threw 41 touchdowns to just six interceptions and tied for No. 2 on the team with seven rushing touchdowns.
Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy, AP College Football National Player of the Year, Davey O'Brien Award, Manning Award, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Hispanic Football Hall of Fame College Player of the Year and the Chicago Tribune Silver Football.
He was a consensus All-America, earned Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year and Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year. The third Hoosier to earn Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year with Anthony Thompson (1988 & 1989) and Antwaan Randle El (2001), Mendoza was the seventh IU signal caller and first since Randle El in 2001 to earn first-team All-B1G honors Since 1950, he is just the third Hoosier to claim the first team spot at quarterback along with Randle El and Harry Gonso (1967).
He was the Big Ten Championship Game MVP, Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl Offensive MVP and College Football Playoff National Championship Game Offensive MVP. His play in the postseason also earned him the quarterback nod on the AP All-College Football Playoff Team.
Players Mentioned
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