The Las Vegas Raiders selected Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first-overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night.
Becoming the top selection in the draft adds another accolade to an already impressive resume for Mendoza as he heads into the NFL.
The 22-year-old led the Hoosiers to their first college football national championship in January as they completed an undefeated season with a 27-21 win over the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Mendoza threw for 186 yards and rushed for a touchdown to help seal the victory for Indiana in the title game.
In early December he captured the Heisman Trophy after receiving 643 first-place votes, becoming the first player in Indiana’s school history to be named the top player in the nation.
The Miami native was also honoured with the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien awards.
Mendoza compiled 3,535 yards with 41 touchdowns and six interceptions over the course of the season. He also added seven rushing touchdowns to that tally.
This is the first time the Raiders have selected first overall in the NFL Draft since 2007 when they picked LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell.
