Fernando Mendoza Declares for NFL Draft After Historic Run at Indiana
Fernando Mendoza’s journey from under-the-radar recruit to Heisman Trophy winner and national champion is the kind of story college football dreams are made of. Now, it’s headed to the next chapter - the NFL.
On Friday, the Indiana quarterback made it official: he’s declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft. And in true Mendoza fashion, he did it with a touch of personality, posting on LinkedIn, “My LinkedIn status is now ‘Open to Work,’ and I’m officially declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft.”
Projected by many as the likely No. 1 overall pick - with the Las Vegas Raiders currently holding that top selection - Mendoza leaves behind one of the most remarkable single seasons in college football history. In just one year at Indiana, he didn’t just win games - he rewrote the program’s legacy.
Let’s talk numbers first, because they’re staggering: 3,535 passing yards, 41 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. But it’s not just the stats - it’s how and when he delivered.
Mendoza led the Hoosiers to a perfect 16-0 record, a Big Ten title, and the school’s first-ever national championship. His final act?
A fourth-down touchdown run that sealed a 27-21 win over Miami in the title game - a head-first dive into the end zone that will be replayed in Bloomington forever.
What makes this rise even more improbable is where it began. Mendoza, a Miami native and former Cal quarterback, transferred to Indiana in January 2025.
At the time, the Hoosiers were coming off a surprising College Football Playoff appearance but needed a new leader under center after the departure of Kurtis Rourke. Head coach Curt Cignetti rolled the dice on Mendoza - and hit the jackpot.
Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 225 pounds, Mendoza brought more than just physical tools. He brought presence.
Confidence. The kind of steady leadership that shows up when the game’s on the line.
And make no mistake - he had plenty of those moments.
There was the 12-play game-winning drive at Oregon. The clutch, last-minute touchdown at Penn State.
The physical pounding he took in the Big Ten Championship, only to bounce back and take down top-ranked Ohio State. Then came the College Football Playoff, where he carved up Alabama and Oregon before capping it all off with that iconic run against Miami.
Along the way, he became Indiana’s first-ever Heisman winner - a fitting honor for the player who led the Hoosiers through the most magical season in program history.
But beyond the accolades, Mendoza leaves behind something even more lasting: a legacy. A legacy of leadership, resilience, and belief. This was a kid from Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, once committed to Yale, who bet on himself - and won big.
Now, he’s heading to the NFL with a resume that reads like fiction. But for Indiana fans, it was all too real - and unforgettable.