The Las Vegas Raiders selected Indiana University quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft taking place in Pittsburgh. With this selection, Mendoza has now joined the exclusive club of legendary quarterbacks like Joe Burrow, Cam Newton, and Jameis Winston who have achieved the "Triple Crown" of winning the Heisman Trophy, National Championship, and being the No. 1 draft pick since 1967. The draft event took place April 23-25, 2026, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The Raiders selecting Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 puts him alongside Joe Burrow, Jameis Winston and Cam Newton as the only QBs since 1967 to win the Heisman Trophy, a national title and go No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft.
Mendoza has now become the first quarterback in Indiana University history to win the Heisman Trophy and be selected as the first overall pick. Mendoza will now have to compete with veteran QB Kirk Cousins in Las Vegas and will receive mentorship from the NFL's "Greatest of All Time" Tom Brady (who is a minority owner of the team).
Taylor McGregor, a college football reporter for ESPN, asked Mendoza about his incredible journey. In the last five months, he won the Heisman Trophy, a national championship, and now he is the first overall pick in the NFL draft. How have the last five months changed his life?
“The last five months has been such a blessing by God, and I can't thank him enough,” Fernando Mendoza said. “I'm just looking forward to get to work, prove at the next level. College was fantastic. I'm so blessed to have that career, but now I step into a great game of the NFL. Look forward to proving and earning it every single day.”
When asked what excites him about the Raiders and this opportunity, Fernando Mendoza said:
“What a great organization, great legacy. There's so many great teammates. I'm looking forward to talking to coaches, owners. I'm ecstatic for the opportunity.”
"I'm ecstatic for the opportunity."Fernando Mendoza is ready to hit the ground running with the @Raiders 🙌NFL Draft on NFLN/ESPN/ABCStream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/73kTnMdpyj
Mendoza began his college career at the California Golden Bears, from where he joined the Indiana Hoosiers through the transfer portal in the 2025 offseason. Before Mendoza's arrival, the Hoosiers had never experienced a 10-win season, but Mendoza led them to a perfect 16-0 record and their first national championship.
Last month, Raiders General Manager John Spytek said he hopes this will be their last No. 1 pick.
"It [has] to be the last time we ever have [the top draft choice]," he said.
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti emphasized Mendoza's work ethic, saying that if there were 25 hours in a day, Mendoza would spend all of them preparing.
The Raiders experienced a major "draft bust" with JaMarcus Russell in 2007, so there's a lot of pressure on Mendoza to succeed.
In December, Mendoza was awarded the Heisman Trophy, making him Indiana's first winner and creating history. In January, he led Indiana to its first National Championship with a 27-21 victory over the Miami Hurricanes, a game played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.