The Las Vegas Raiders selected former Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No.1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Mendoza becomes just the third player to win the Heisman Trophy, a national title and be drafted as the No.1 pick in a 12-month window. “What a great organization, great legacy. There's so many teammates I'm looking forward to talking to—coaches, owners. I'm ecstatic for the opportunity," said Mendoza. The 22-year-old led the Hoosiers to their maiden national championship earlier this month, with the team notching a historic 16-0 record in the process. Mendoza threw for 186 yards and scored a rushing touchdown in his team’s 27-21 win over the Miami Hurricanes in the national title game earlier this month and was named the College Football Playoffs Offensive MVP. In his only season in Indiana, Mendoza recorded 3,535 passing yards, an FBS-leading 41 touchdowns and six interceptions to win the Heisman Trophy. The Massachusetts native, who also ran for 276 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025, spent two seasons with the California Golden Bears prior to transferring to the Hoosiers. Mendoza, who will compete with Kirk Cousins for the starting role, heads to a Las Vegas team that finished 3-14 last season.
