If and when Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza gets drafted No. 1 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday, April 25, he won't go on stage to shake commissioner Roger Goodell's hand while throwing on a Raiders hat.
Instead, the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner will be in Miami, celebrating his achievement alongside his family and friends rather than on-site in Pittsburgh.
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It has become commonplace for top NFL draft picks to stay home rather than travel to the draft in person in recent years. Travon Walker and Trevor Lawrence didn't attend in 2022 and 2021, and neither did Myles Garrett in 2017. Baker Mayfield also famously re-created a photo of Brett Favre after going No. 1 overall in 2018, wearing jean shorts while talking on an old school phone.
Mendoza likely won't have as flashy of a watch party as Mayfield, but his rise from under-recruited 3-star to national champion, Heisman winner and No. 1 pick is certainly cause for celebration.
Here's why Mendoza is staying home rather than traveling to Pittsburgh for the 2026 NFL Draft:
There isn't much to Mendoza's decision to not attend the NFL draft. Mendoza told Rich Eisen it would be more memorable to share the moment at home, where more friends and family could attend.
"It's a dream for a lot of guys," Mendoza said April 20. "However, my mom really wanted to do it at home and so did my parents. It's a lot easier for us, especially with the family situation. We have to hop in a plane the next morning anyway, and for that travel, it'd be a lot easier to stay home.
"I wanted to stay and make the memory with everybody who poured into my football journey. Mentors, coaches, family, friends. To be able to share that moment with all of them, is going to be the best memory that I can make, rather than limiting it to 10 or 12 people in Pittsburgh."
It makes sense, as he wouldn't have to sit around for long in Pittsburgh since he's the overwhelming favorite to go No. 1 overall. Mendoza also hasn't been shy to mention what his family means to him, which became a well-known narrative surrounding the former Indiana star.
Mendoza's mother, Elsa Mendoza, battles multiple sclerosis, which has forced her to need a wheelchair. Mendoza and his mom drew attention during the Hoosiers' College Football Playoff run due to their obvious connection.
Indiana football quarterback Fernando Mendoza sees his mom and dad for the first time after winning a Big Ten Title pic.twitter.com/XevCQJn0yZ
— Michael Niziolek (@michaelniziolek) December 7, 2025
“Our mom is our inspiration, our light, and gives us positivity every single day," Mendoza told the IndyStar, part of the USA TODAY Network, in January. "She's my idol. I know she's the same for Alberto, as both of our parents are, and seeing her fight and fight every single day gives us no excuse to ever take anything for granted."
Mendoza also paid tribute to his mom during his Heisman acceptance speech.
"Mami, this is your trophy as much as it is mine," he said in December. "You've always been my biggest fan. You're my light. You're my why. You're my biggest supporter. Your sacrifice, courage, love those have been my first playbook, and the playbook that I'm gonna carry through my side through my entire life.
"You taught me that toughness doesn't need to be loud. It can be quiet and strong. It's choosing hope. It's believing in yourself when the world doesn't give you much reason to."
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Why isn't Fernando Mendoza attending NFL draft?