Why Miami’s own Fernando Mendoza doesn’t seem concerned about being No. 1 pick
Fernando Mendoza is a football guy.
You can tell by the way he discusses the fine details of the quarterback position. You can tell by the way he discusses his storybook season. And you can tell by the way that he doesn’t appear remotely concerned about possibility of being the No. 1 overall pick.
“Whatever team drafts me, I’m extremely grateful — whether it’s the No. 1 pick or 199th,” Mendoza said.
Mendoza met with the media Friday morning at the NFL Combine, an important step ahead of thee 2026 Draft. Several questions centered on his meeting with the Las Vegas Raiders, a team that currently holds the No. 1 pick. The Indiana standout tried to deflect from that line of questioning, choosing rather to shine light on his teammates or even other players.
“I know they have the prospective No. 1 pick, but anything could happen in the draft,” said Mendoza, later quipping that he’s “unemployed” and “trying to do everything to hopefully get employed on April 23.”
The humbleness comes from the fact that Mendoza wasn’t supposed to be here. A three-star prospect out of Miami’s Columbus High, Mendoza ranked 72nd among all quarterbacks of the 2022 class, according to ESPN. In a single year, he was named a first-team All-American, won the Heisman and beat his hometown team, the Miami Hurricanes, in the College Football Playoff National Championship en route to resurrecting Indiana’s football program. Now, he has the chance to call Tom Brady, who’s part of the Raiders’ ownership group, a mentor.
“Tom Brady, I believe, is the greatest quarterback of all time by a wide margin and the opportunity to be mentored by him would mean so much,” Mendoza said.
This story was originally published February 27, 2026 at 9:41 AM.
