Fernando Mendoza 2026 NFL Draft Profile

Strengths:

Mendoza has good size and great toughness in the pocket. He is an extremely smart quarterback prospect who reads defenses well and makes consistently quick and smart decisions with the football. Mendoza has great confidence in both his ability as a passer and in his receivers’ ability to make plays. He has tremendous accuracy and anticipation. Mendoza plays the position with great timing and rhythm and does a good job throwing his receivers open.

He also gives his receivers opportunities to make big plays down the field and in contested catch situations, and confidently throws the ball into tight windows with great ball placement. Mendoza does a good job layering throws, and he is also one of the best deep ball throwers in the 2026 quarterback draft class. He has been elite on third downs and in the red zone for Indiana as well, and has made many big plays in big moments and in big games for the Hoosiers.

Weaknesses:

Mendoza does not possess elite athletic traits. He is a decent athlete who can pick up some yards on the ground, but he doesn’t have the ability to be a major threat as a runner in the NFL. Mendoza also occasionally holds onto the ball for too long and takes some unnecessary sacks, and his footwork can be inconsistent under pressure as well.

Potential Team Fits:

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Jets

NFL Projection:

Mendoza doesn’t have the high-level athletic ability that some other recent top-rated quarterback prospects have had, and he may not have quite as high a ceiling either, but he is a well-rounded quarterback prospect with prototypical size, good arm strength, and incredible accuracy and anticipation as a passer. He is accurate at all levels of the field, and he consistently gives his receivers the best chance to make a play on the ball with exceptional ball placement. Mendoza is also an intelligent quarterback who reads defenses well.

Going from a quarterback-friendly offense and one of the best situations for a quarterback in all of college football to the NFL will be an adjustment, but Mendoza has the skill set to potentially be a solid starter as a rookie. With his experience, high football IQ, and accuracy as a passer, Mendoza is maybe the most pro-ready college quarterback prospect of the last two years. He is projected to be the first quarterback taken in the draft, and likely the No. 1 overall pick. Mendoza has the ability to start early in his NFL career, and he has the potential to develop into a great franchise quarterback at the next level.

Prospect Grade:

Early First Round