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0:412026 NFL Draft Grades: Raiders Select Fernando Mendoza No. 1
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1:45Can Fernando Mendoza Change the Raiders' Fortunes?
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1:51Breaking Down the Strength of the 2026 NFL Draft Class
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1:27Brian Kelly's Most NFL-Ready Prospects for 2026
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6:41Breaking Down No. 1 Prospect Fernando Mendoza
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1:12Fernando Mendoza Compares To Matt Ryan
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10:37Best Team Fits For NFL Draft Prospects
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0:40Fernando Mendoza Is The Best Fit For Raiders At No. 1
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55:06Ryan Wilson's Final 2026 NFL Mock Draft
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1:16Five Players To Trade Up For: Ty Simpson
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12:10Breaking Down Bryant McFadden's Mock Draft Trades
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1:41Pick Your Duo: Mendoza/Jeanty Or Ward/Love
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40:07Who They Should Take NFL Mock Draft
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1:47GM Pete Prisco's NFL Draft Proclamations: Carson Beck Gaining Steam, Could Go Top Of 2nd Round
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9:03John Breech's Top-10 QB Predictions In This Year's Draft
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11:50Breaking Down The Best NFL Draft Fits
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1:56NFL Draft Expert vs. Inside The Lines: Cardinals Select LB Sonny Styles at No. 3 Overall
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9:21Leger Douzable's Eight Questions Ahead Of NFL Draft
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0:522026 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: QB Fernando Mendoza
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8:56Raiders Signing QB Kirk Cousins
Draft Scouting Report
Pro Comparison: Matt Ryan
Summary
All the reasons you worry about a quarterback translating to the NFL don’t really apply to Mendoza. How will he perform under pressure? Mendoza has been as good as we’ve seen in that regard since Joe Burrow. How will he handle complex defenses? Mendoza’s ability to diagnose defenses and understand the finer points of the scheme is as good as it gets. Can we trust him as a leader? Mendoza took over a new locker room and went on a Cinderella run to a national title at Indiana. The only debate now is how high his ceiling can push in the NFL.
About
- 2025: Heisman Trophy winner (nation’s best player)
- 2025: Led Indiana to a 16–0 record and College Football Playoff National Championship
Strengths
- Stands tall in tight pockets and attacks downfield
- Understands leverage and throws receivers open
- Remarkable dedication to his craft; all ball
Weaknesses
- Heavy-footed when escaping pressure
- Gimmicky, screen/RPO-heavy Indiana offense
- Arm suffers on the move; not much of a creator on his own
2025 Passing
| STATS | CMP | ATT | PCT | YDS | YDS/G | TD | INT | RATE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | 273 | 379 | 72.0 | 3535 | 220.9 | 41 | 6 | 182.9 |
Top Fernando Mendoza News
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Raiders' Fernando Mendoza: Taken by the Raiders
The Raiders selected Mendoza in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, first overall.
Mendoza (6-foot-5, 236 pounds) was all but locked in as the first overall pick as soon as the draft order was set, because franchise quarterback prospects go first overall and Mendoza has everything teams look for in that regard. Even as a modest recruit out of Miami who had to go all the way to out west Cal to find a starting opportunity at the FBS level, it was clear by about mid-October of the 2025 season - his first and only season at Indiana - that Mendoza had established himself as the top QB in the country. Indeed, the Hoosiers went 16-0 in 2025 and Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy in what went down as one of the most memorable storybook seasons in college football history. Mendoza was utterly dominant in 2025, completing 72.0 percent of his passes at 9.3 yards per attempt, producing an outrageous 41 passing touchdowns on just 379 attempts versus six interceptions. Though not a runner by initial inclination, Mendoza is plenty capable and decisive as a rusher, offering both athleticism and power. With new coach Klint Kubiak running the show the Raiders offense should soon be the best it has been in a number of years, though the exact timing of Mendoza's full arrival remains to be seen. The Raiders signed Kirk Cousins to a one-year deal this offseason, and Kubiak previously said that it's not his preference to place a rookie at the starting QB position. Mendoza can force the issue by outplaying Cousins in training camp, but at worst Mendoza is expected to take over as starter at some point before the 2026 season concludes. Whenever Mendoza takes over, there's reason to expect he'll be at least an average starting signal-caller soon or immediately from that point.
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Player Bio
| HT/WT: 6-5, 236 lbs |
| Birthplace: Miami, FL |
| Age: 22 |
| Class: Junior |