Who is Fernando Mendoza? Why the Indiana star is the projected No. 1 overall pick

In the history of college football, few underdog stories are as dramatic as the rise of Fernando Mendoza.

Once a forgotten 2-star recruit from Miami who couldn’t get a walk-on offer from his hometown school, Mendoza is now a Heisman Trophy winner, a national champion, and the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

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Whether you’re a scout, an Indiana Hoosiers fan, or closely following the 2026 NFL Draft, here’s a complete guide to the man who transformed Indiana football and could soon do the same for the Las Vegas Raiders.

Who is Fernando Mendoza?

Fernando Gabriel Mendoza V is the star quarterback for the Indiana University Hoosiers.

Born in Miami, Florida, on October 1, 2003, the 6ft 5in, 225-pound signal-caller led Indiana to a legendary 16-0 season in 2025, culminating in a National Championship victory over the Miami Hurricanes.

Mendoza’s journey is defined by his 2-star label. Coming out of Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, he was ranked as the No. 2,149 player in the country.

Mendoza famously grew up a mile from the University of Miami campus. He asked for a preferred walk-on spot but was turned down by the Hurricanes.

With no Power Five scholarship offers, he initially committed to Yale in the Ivy League. A late-cycle offer from UC Berkeley eventually opened the door, where he spent three seasons, started two, and broke school records before transferring to Indiana to play under head coach Curt Cignetti.

The rest is history.

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Family, Heritage, and ‘The Why’

Mendoza’s motivation comes from a deeply athletic and resilient family background.

All four of Mendoza’s grandparents immigrated from Cuba to escape the Castro regime. He honored this legacy by delivering part of his Heisman speech in Spanish.

His father, Fernando Mendoza Sr. (now a pediatric emergency department director), was a gold medalist in rowing at the 1987 Junior World Championships and rowed for Brown University. His mother, Elsa, played collegiate tennis at the University of Miami.

Fernando is the eldest of three and has two younger brothers, Alberto and Max.

Alberto served as Fernando’s backup at Indiana during the 2025 title run before recently transferring to Georgia Tech. Max is the youngest and is an aspiring athlete in his own right.

Fernando and Alberto have raised over $150,000 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Their mother has lived with MS for nearly 20 years and is Fernando’s self-proclaimed ‘Why.’

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NIL Worth and Business Success

Mendoza is as sharp off the field as he is on it. Having earned a business degree from Berkeley in just three years, he now manages one of the top NIL portfolios in the nation.

He carried an estimated valuation of $2.6 million, highlighted by major endorsement deals with Adidas, Dr Pepper, T-Mobile, and JLab Audio.

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NFL Future

Following his historic run to a national championship and a Heisman Trophy, Mendoza is now the consensus projected first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Mendoza is being lauded by scouts for his elite arm strength, quick release, and high-level decision-making. He is currently projected to land with the Las Vegas Raiders, who are in desperate search of a franchise quarterback.

As Tom Brady assists the Silver and Black in their pursuit of a new head coach and long-term quarterback, Mendoza appears poised to check one of the organization’s two biggest boxes.

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