Las Vegas — Fernando Mendoza heard his name called first on Thursday night, becoming the Indiana Hoosiers quarterback selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders.
The selection marked a historic moment for both the franchise and the player. Mendoza, who led Indiana to a 16-0 season and the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2025, became the first signal-caller taken by the Raiders on Day 1 since JaMarcus Russell in 2007.
General manager John Spytek praised Mendoza’s character and operate ethic shortly after the pick was made. “Just a great person,” Spytek said. “Raised the right way, great family. He’s about the right things. It’s about his team. It’s about winning. It’s about doing the right thing, being accountable to the whole organization.”
Mendoza did not attend the draft in person, a decision that had been anticipated for months. Despite his absence, the Raiders’ front office expressed confidence in his readiness to lead the franchise into a new era.
His collegiate resume includes a Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Award, Maxwell Award, AP College Football Player of the Year honors, and the Davey O’Brien Award. Mendoza completed 72 percent of his passes for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns during the 2025 season, recording an 8:0 touchdown-to-interception ratio in the College Football Playoffs.
Before transferring to Indiana, Mendoza appeared in 20 games for the California Golden Bears, where he threw for 4,712 yards and 30 touchdowns with a 66.5 percent completion rate.
He now joins a distinguished group of Heisman winners drafted by the Raiders, including Marcus Allen (1982), Bo Jackson (1987), Tim Brown (1988), and Charles Woodson (1998).
The Raiders have not won a playoff game since their Super Bowl appearance in the 2002 season and have made only two postseason appearances in the last 23 years. Following Derek Carr’s departure, the team cycled through seven starting quarterbacks over three seasons, compiling a 15-36 record in that span.
Mendoza is now tasked with providing stability and leadership at quarterback for a franchise seeking to end a prolonged period of inconsistency.
While specific plans for his rookie season have not been detailed, the organization emphasized that his development will be central to their short- and long-term strategy.
The 2026 NFL Draft continues in the coming days, with the Raiders set to make additional selections to bolster their roster around their new franchise quarterback.
For continued coverage of the 2026 NFL Draft and Raiders updates, fans can follow official team channels and league announcements.
Stay tuned to Archysport for the latest developments as Fernando Mendoza begins his journey with the Las Vegas Raiders.
