Could an Indiana Hoosier make history as the top pick in the NFL Draft? Fernando Mendoza is electrifying the preseason, with one major sports outlet placing him at No. 1 overall. Learn why this quarterback is generating massive buzz and what it means for Indiana football’s most anticipated season. Will he live up to the hype?
The Indiana football program is on the cusp of what many are calling its most anticipated season in recent memory, fueled by the electrifying buzz surrounding quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The Hoosiers’ starting signal-caller has become a national talking point, as projections for the 2026 NFL Draft have placed him squarely in the spotlight, igniting both fan excitement and media speculation.
The preseason hype reached a fever pitch with CBS Sports draft writer Mike Renner’s bold prediction: the Cleveland Browns selecting Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick. This high-profile `mock draft` scenario, contingent on the hypothetical return of Texas phenom Arch Manning to college, highlights Mendoza’s rapidly ascending stock in the scouting community.
Renner’s analysis underscores Mendoza’s impressive fit for head coach Kevin Stefanski’s offense, should the two-time NFL Coach of the Year remain at the helm. Mendoza is lauded for possessing a “plus NFL arm” combined with “quick decision-making and tight-window accuracy,” attributes highly coveted at the professional level. His move to Indiana Football is poised to offer him a grander stage to showcase these talents, building upon his impactful seasons at Cal.
Mendoza was the first of five quarterbacks chosen in the initial round of Renner’s comprehensive projections, joining other notable collegiate talents such as LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and Clemson’s Cade Klubnik. This robust placement solidifies earlier indicators, including an ESPN report from July that identified Mendoza as a potential riser in the NFL Draft landscape, with insider Jordan Reid specifically noting his promising outlook.
For the Hoosiers, a top overall NFL Draft selection would mark a historic milestone, unprecedented since Corbett Davis was picked first in 1938. The program has seen only a handful of first-round picks since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, none cracking the top five. The highest-drafted quarterback in Indiana Football history remains Babe Laufenberg, taken 168th overall in 1983, underscoring the potential magnitude of Mendoza’s current trajectory.
The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Fernando Mendoza arrives in Bloomington having transferred from Cal, where he commanded the offense with distinction. In the 2024 season, he completed an impressive 68.7% of his passes for 3,004 yards, delivering 16 touchdowns against just six interceptions, while also contributing two rushing scores. These statistics paint a picture of a dynamic and efficient College Football quarterback ready for the next challenge.
Head coach Curt Cignetti has openly expressed his strong confidence in Mendoza, citing his two years of starting experience as a critical advantage. Cignetti has also noted Mendoza’s superior arm talent compared to his predecessor, Kurtis Rourke. The quest for Mendoza to potentially become the No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick officially begins at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, as Indiana hosts Old Dominion at Merchants Bank Field inside Memorial Stadium, marking the start of a highly anticipated season.
