Fernando Mendoza improved his odds for the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night by leading the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers to the Big Ten championship win over the No. 1 Ohio Buckeyes, 13-10. In the victory, Mendoza also showed the nation he is QB1 in the 2026 NFL Draft.
With NFL scouts of potential draft landing spots watching and seeing what Mendoza could do against a defense like Ohio State, the Indiana quarterback proved his poise and arm talent in leading the Hoosiers to their first Big Ten championship since 1967.
Named MVP of the championship game, Mendoza threw for 222 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Going up against NFL level defensive talent like Caleb Downs, Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, the impressive part of Mendoza’s performance was his ability to deliver darts like this throw to wide receiver Charlie Becker to set the Hoosiers up for the go-ahead score:
Fernando Mendoza with a DART to Becker 🎯@IndianaFootball pic.twitter.com/iruLmNAeCu
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 7, 2025
With poise in the pocket and showing off deep ball accuracy, Mendoza has put himself in position to be the top quarterback off the board in the draft. More importantly now, he has his team positioned as the No. 1 seed heading into the College Football Playoff. If he leads them to the national championship, the top pick in the draft becomes obvious.
What makes Fernando Mendoza the top QB on the board
Mendoza proved just about every scouting report right with his performance against Ohio State. He has the prototypical size for a quarterback standing at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, and he has the accuracy to be a top-level pocket passer in the NFL. One of the weaknesses of Mendoza is his deep ball accuracy, something he hasn’t showcased too often. But more of the highlights above will make him the complete QB of the 2026 NFL Draft class.
In his latest big board rankings, ESPN’s Matt Miller has Mendoza as the prize QB of the draft due to his ability to carve up defenses which he showed he could do against Matt Patricia’s Ohio State defense.
Miller writes:
“He has the frame to pick up short yardage on runs or scramble when the pocket breaks down, but Mendoza is at his best carving up defenses in the pocket. His timing, rhythm and field vision have helped him complete 72% of his passes this season and have him leading the QB1 race.”
NFL teams like the New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints are in position to land Mendoza. After watching him against the nation’s best, he should become their top target at the position.