Fernando Mendoza Articles - Page 2

The Las Vegas Raiders own the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the team just so happened to need a quarterback. Many expect Fernando Mendoza to be the first quarterback taken off the board, but it’s not yet clear if he’ll be the top selection. Either way, it sounds like new […]

The Las Vegas Raiders have the first pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, where they are widely expected to take Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza from Indiana, who recently won the national championship. The Raiders also recently announced the hire of Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak to be their next head coach, taking over […]

Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek says minority owner Tom Brady will serve as a resource for the franchise’s next quarterback, regardless of who ultimately fills the role. Spytek detailed Brady’s expected involvement in comments captured in a video snippet shared Tuesday by Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated. The remarks come as Las Vegas […]

There seems to be consensus that Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza will be the No.1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He won the Heisman Trophy and led Indiana to a national championship. However, it remains unknown where he will end up. On Tuesday, league insiders said it’s not a forgone conclusion that Menodza will be […]

The Las Vegas Raiders could get a lot better during the 2026 offseason. Las Vegas is off to a good starter after hiring Klint Kubiak at head coach. Now the Raiders need to nail free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft, especially because they hold the first overall pick. One former general manager knows what […]

The 2026 NFL offseason is just a few weeks away from really heating up. NFL free agency officially begins on March 11th at 4PM ET at the start of the new league year. Then the next big tentpole event for many teams will be the 2026 NFL Draft. This year’s draft class already has NFL […]

The Las Vegas Raiders should be one of the most exciting teams to watch during the 2026 NFL offseason. Las Vegas holds the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and is flush with cap space. Multiple NFL figures are convinced the Raiders already know who they are taking at the top of the […]

The NFL Draft Combine is the ultimate job interview, but the projected No. 1 overall pick is skipping the most anticipated part of the evaluation. Indiana football quarterback Fernando Mendoza will not throw at the NFL Draft Combine this week in Indianapolis, according to Adam Schefter. Instead, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner will wait until […]

The Raiders are heading into the 2026 league year with a real decision pile. Las Vegas has a long list of in-house free agents hitting the market when the new league year opens on March 11, and that volume alone forces a tougher, more selective approach. One league-wide angle that keeps popping up in the […]

If the Las Vegas Raiders select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick, the quarterbacks coach will have a crucial role in Las Vegas. Jordan Traylor could fill that position. The Raiders have requested to interview Traylor, who is currently the Minnesota Vikings’ assistant offensive coordinator, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Vikings added […]

Widely projected to be the first player selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, it’s safe to assume Fernando Mendoza is very happy with his decision to sign with Indiana for the 2025 season. A former high school afterthought who turned himself into an intriguing player at the University of California, Berkeley, few could foresee Mendoza […]

The Las Vegas Raiders are positioned to get a whole lot better during the 2026 offseason. Las Vegas is off to a good start after hiring Klint Kubiak at head coach. Now the Raiders can use the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, plus their mountain of cap space, to quickly build a […]

The Indiana football team’s remarkable journey to a national championship in Miami was powered by the emergence of Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner who is now the frontrunner for the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. After leading the Hoosiers to a 27-21 victory over Miami in the title game, Mendoza appeared […]

After the Super Bowl, the attention in Las Vegas has already shifted to the 2026 NFL Draft. This is a franchise searching for identity stability and long-term direction. As such, this draft cycle represents roster improvement and reset. Armed with the No. 1 overall pick and a new leadership structure, the Raiders sit at the […]

Klint Kubiak is officially leading the Las Vegas Raiders into a transformative era after his Super Bowl LX success with the Seattle Seahawks. He has already focused on key roster decisions, such as securing defensive star Maxx Crosby and emphasizing that the edge rusher is a non-negotiable part of future success. Kubiak credits much of […]

Move over, LinkedIn influencers, Fernando Mendoza just set the new gold standard for professional networking. The Indiana University quarterback and 2025 Heisman Trophy winner had a viral moment this week when he made sure to secure a digital connection with NFL veteran Jameis Winston before leaving an interview. Fernando Mendoza, who is widely projected as […]

Things haven’t worked out swimmingly for the Miami Dolphins through recent years, missing the NFL Playoffs for their second-straight season. In firing head coach Mike McDaniel and seemingly moving on from starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins have a massive offseason ahead of them in terms of rebuilding and rebranding the identity of this franchise. […]

Technically, the Las Vegas Raiders could draft anyone with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft… even if it feels like Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is a forgone conclusion at this point. A no-star recruit who began his college career at the University of California, Berkeley, before transferring to Indiana in 2025, Mendoza […]

The Las Vegas Raiders are entering a transformative era under new head coach Klint Kubiak, who arrives with a championship pedigree following a victory in Super Bowl LX. One of his priorities has been addressing the future of star edge rusher Maxx Crosby, whose name has surfaced in trade rumors as the team holds the […]

The Las Vegas Raiders are in for an exciting offseason. Las Vegas brought in Klint Kubiak as their next head coach. They also hold the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which could be Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza. But one NFL draft analyst recently questioned that pairing. Analyst Kirk Herbstreit questioned the fit […]

As there are trade rumors surrounding Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby, there is no doubt going to be an immense amount of noise throughout the offseason. With the Raiders entering a new era with Fernando Mendoza likely being the face of the team as the No. 1 overall pick and a new head coach […]

The Indiana football season is over, and it ended in a magical run to a national championship. The Hoosiers shocked everyone and went on to win a national championship in Miami. They did so thanks in large part to the play of Fernando Mendoza under center, and to the fact that he won the Heisman […]

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza is coming off a dream-like and brilliant season in college football. He won the Heisman Trophy as the best college football player and led the upstart Indiana Hoosiers to an undefeated season and the national championship. His performance in the College Football Playoff Championship Game included a spectacular touchdown run that gave […]

It seems like the Las Vegas Raiders have their next coach in hand. And perhaps that applies to the quarterback position as well. And Fernando Mendoza added fuel to the fire with his exciting message to Vegas fans amid his NFL Draft buzz. Mendoza said he likes the Raiders fans, according to a post on […]

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are giving Baker Mayfield another young offensive coach to work with in 2026. After coaching 2025 Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza at Indiana, Chandler Whitmer is returning to the NFL on Todd Bowles’ staff. Whitmer previously worked for offensive coordinator Zac Robinson as the Atlanta Falcons’ pass game specialist in 2024, […]

The impact of Indiana football’s national championship win is still being felt. Certainly, their Heisman Trophy-winning QB, Fernando Mendoza, is reaping all the spoils of success. This week, Mendoza secured an endorsement deal with Taco Bell as a “Franchise Player”, per Marcus Hartman of Yahoo Sports. Not only that, as only he could, he made […]

With the 2026 NFL Draft just two months away, the first overall pick is more or less set, with Fernando Mendoza widely expected to go first overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. Now granted, could some team submit a godfather offer and earn the right to select the former Indiana Hoosiers national champion? Sure thing, […]

As Indiana football quarterback Fernando Mendoza has made history in what was his final season with the program, there’s no doubt he learned a whole lot during that time. With the Indiana football star looking ahead to the NFL Draft, another person he learned from is former quarterback Peyton Manning. Speaking with Andrew Chernoff, Mendoza […]

As the New York Jets look ahead to the 2026 NFL Draft to try to strengthen their team, the latest conversation could bring a lot of excitement to the franchise and the fanbase. While the rumors will continue to swirl around the Jets, an NFL insider has made the connection that the team could be […]

Indiana football wouldn’t have won the national championship without QB Fernando Mendoza. In December, he was honored with the Heisman Trophy, and the honors didn’t stop coming. On Friday, Mendoza became the first Big Ten QB to win the coveted Manning Award, given to the nation’s top QB, per Brett McMurphy of On3Sports. The award […]

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in search of a new quarterback coach this offseason to bolster the offensive coaching staff for the 2026-27 campaign. Reports on Thursday indicate that the franchise is meeting with one of Fernando Mendoza’s coaches with the Indiana Hoosiers. Chandler Whitmer, who was one of Indiana’s co-offensive coordinators this last season, […]

The Las Vegas Raiders are picking first in the NFL draft for the first time since 2007, when they picked arguably the biggest bust in draft history, JaMarcus Russell. How will they do this season with Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza in their sights? We took the Raiders’ picks, fired up the PFF mock draft simulator, […]

Indiana created an incredible rags to riches story during the last two seasons, and head coach Curt Cignetti has led the team to its first national championship. It is a story that can be repeated in the current era that features Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) money and the transfer portal, but it will be difficult […]

The 2025 Indiana football season was nothing short of magical. The Hoosiers had a dominant regular season and were ranked as the top team in the College Football Playoff. They had a bye in the College Football Playoff before playing Alabama in the Rose Bowl, and they dominated the Crimson Tide before also dominating Oregon […]

Indiana football star and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza has officially declared for the 2026 NFL Draft. In a move that surprised absolutely no one familiar with his CEO of the Red Zone persona, the redshirt junior broke the news with a nod to his favorite professional networking site. Mendoza stated that his LinkedIn […]

The thrilling performance of Indiana and Miami in the College Football Playoff championship game delivered eye-opening viewership numbers for the sport. Indiana outlasted Miami to win the sport’s national championship by a 27-21 score, and the Hoosiers finished the season with a remarkable 16-0 record. Just a monster number for the College Football Playoff title […]

Fernando Mendoza of Indiana football put together one last theatrical moment in his underdog story. His dive to the end zone powered through Miami, then catapulted him into legendary status at Bloomington. He also willed IU to a historic national title run…right in front of Las Vegas Raiders personnel, too. Owner Mark Davis, co-owner Tom […]

The Las Vegas Raiders did not have a great 2025 season. Las Vegas went 3-14 during the regular season, which was bad enough to secure the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. That has the Raiders in prime position to draft Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza as their next franchise leader. That inevitability has […]

Curt Cignetti now owns multiple national championships with crimson colored teams, having won in 2009 with Alabama. Indiana football, though, looks like the next “Crimson Tide” for college football after surpassing Miami. “Cig” arrived to Bloomington needing to shift the culture fast. IU won a combined nine games in a three season span before his […]