The 2026 NFL Draft is approaching fast and league scouts are solidifying their big boards. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza could be among the players who hear their name called early in Pittsburgh this week when the NFL welcomes its newest class of rookies.
USA TODAY Sports has all the latest on where the prospect out of Indiana may land.
Here's how USA TODAY's latest mock draft currently projects draft day will play out for the former college star.
This is one pick that wont be traded, Silver and Black GM John Spytek saying Tuesday that, "We've gotten a few calls, and those teams know where they stand right now." He added, There's only one team that can get the exact person that they want. And we have that option available to us this year, if we so choose." Oh, they've chosen, if not yet officially. Mendoza, the Hoosiers championship-minted Heisman Trophy winner, will be the man charged with leading the Raiders back to Super Bowl glory more than four decades after they last hoisted the Lombardi Trophy. And credit to Spytek for quickly trying to rebuild the infrastructure that will support Mendoza, including the addition of veteran QB Kirk Cousins his presence ensuring Las Vegas wont have to play their prize before its time.
Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy in what's been an unprecedented year for the Hoosiers program. He has NFL size at 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds with a surprisingly quick release. His arm talent fits the bill but what stands out on tape from Mendoza is his post-snap processing. That football IQ gives him a high floor in the NFL even if his ceiling is capped by his good-but-not-great mobility and arm talent.
Those looking for flaws in Fernando Mendoza's film are trying too hard. The improved offensive line he played behind at Indiana unlocked his full potential. Behind the scenes, his arm talent was evident the moment he walked on campus as was his unrelenting work ethic. The only thing that prevented Mendoza from putting up numbers like Joe Burrow did at LSU in 2019 was the lopsided nature of IU's many blowout wins and the staffs emphasis on the run game. -- Michael Niziolek, The Herald-Times
The 2026 NFL Draft will take place between April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.
Time: 8 p.m. ET (Round 1); 7 p.m. ET (Rounds 2-3); Noon ET (Rounds 4-7)
Streaming: NFL+; ESPN Unlimited & Select; Fubo
Fans have several options to choose from to watch the 2026 NFL Draft. NFL Network and ESPN will have separate broadcasts, each providing a different analysis of each pick as it happens on draft night.
Cord-cutters can stream the different broadcasts on NFL+, the NFL's proprietary streaming service; ESPN Select or ESPN Unlimited, ESPN's streaming services; or cable alternative Fubo , which offers a free trial.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fernando Mendoza 2026 NFL mock draft: latest prediction for Indiana Quarterback