Fernando Mendoza is suddenly the hot name quarterback in college football, and he proved it once again in leading the Indiana Hoosiers (7-0) to a 38-13 win over the Michigan State Spartans (3-4). With another top tier performance, the Heisman Trophy favorite has propelled himself as a favorite to go No. 1 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
In the win, Mendoza threw for 332 yards and 4 touchdowns and looked the best he has all season. In stepping up to the challenge week in and week out, the Indiana quarterback has quarterback hungry eying him as the prize.
At 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, Mendoza has prototypical size and the ability to master the pocket with great foot work and patience but also has the mobility to showcase his talent outside the pocket which he showcased in the victory over Michigan State. Currently the DraftKings betting favorite with +200 odds to go as the top pick in April, Mendoza has his own head coach marveling at his improvement week after week.
“I would say this is the sharpest we’ve seen him up to this point in a game,” Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said following the Week 8 matchup. “But he continues to improve. He continues to prepare like nobody I’ve ever been around, and he’s getting better and better.”
It’s scary to see how much more Mendoza can improve, but if he leads the Hoosiers to a national championship and takes home the 2025 Heisman Trophy, he will be the ultimate prize of the draft at the quarterback position and NFL teams in need of a quarterback should be dreaming of taking him No. 1 overall.
3 NFL teams in position to land Fernando Mendoza
New York Jets:
The Jets currently hold the No. 1 overall pick and given the state of their passing game, the idea of drafting a quarterback like Mendoza with the top pick would be a foundational piece in a roster reset. If you are a Jets fan, it seems like the team is always in roster reset mode, but a quarterback like Mendoza could finally set some promise for the future. Yes, yes, there was Sam Darnold and Zach Wilson who had that same promise, but Mendoza has a different makeup than those two quarterbacks. He has a resiliency about him that is contagious and along with his talent he is destined to be special at the next level.
Other QB options for the Jets: Dante Moore, Ty Simpson, LaNorris Sellers
Cleveland Browns:
Now, it does depend on the situation he is drafted into, but the Cleveland Browns are a team that will have talent around Mendoza that will set him up to succeed. If the Browns don’t have the top pick by the time the season is over, they have an additional first round pick they can use to entice the Jets to give up the top pick, which at this point is Mendoza. The Browns took two quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft and if neither of them looks like the GUY, the Browns will be on the prowl yet again for a franchise-caliber quarterback. Like he would with the Jets, Mendoza would inject excitement into the organization and be the quarterback they need to transcend the offense.
Other QB options for the Browns: Dante Moore, Ty Simpson, John Mateer
Los Angeles Rams:
There must be that one team willing to move up to take a player like Mendoza. Would the Rams have enough trade capital to move all the way up to No. 1 or at least the top 3 to select a quarterback with the talent of Mendoza? They do have two first round picks which could be enticing for a team looking to rebuild like the Jets, but would any trade package be worth giving up the chance to draft a high-profile prospect at QB? As the Matthew Stafford replacement, connecting Mendoza with Sean McVay would be absolute gold for the Rams which would put him in an immediate position to perform on a winning team.