Rising Star QB Fernando Mendoza Rockets to No. 1 in 2026 NFL Draft Projections—Scouts Rave

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has rocketed from unheralded three-star recruit to the hottest name on draft boards, and NFL teams are scrambling to keep up with his meteoric ascent. The New York Jets dispatched general manager Darren Mougey and senior advisor Rick Spielman to Beaver Stadium on Saturday, marking their second “heavy-contingent” visit in three weeks to evaluate the red-shirt junior passer. Sub-4.6 speed, a live right arm and an NFL-ready 6'4", 225-pound frame have already pushed Mendoza to the top of several big-board rankings, with league evaluators currently slotting him as the No. 1 quarterback in the 2026 class ahead of Oregon’s Dante Moore and Alabama’s Julian Sayin. Through nine games he’s posted 2,124 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and just four interceptions while adding 220 yards and four scores on the ground, powering Indiana to its best start since 1967. Mendoza’s production has thrust him into the thick of the Heisman Trophy race only three years after recruiting services listed him 140th among pro-style quarterbacks. Coaches credit his rapid development to obsessive film study and the arrival of coordinator Kalen DeBoer, whose RPO-heavy scheme showcases Mendoza’s ability to read safeties pre-snap and punish defenses with pinpoint seams or designed keepers. Name-image-likeness deals have followed his breakout. Industry analysts estimate the Miami native’s endorsement portfolio could eclipse $4–5 million this season, highlighted by a regional automotive campaign announced hours before Indiana’s showdown with Penn State. Despite the windfall, sources close to the program say Mendoza plans to play the full 2025 campaign before deciding whether to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft. Scouts love his layered touch throws but want to see improved ball security when flushed left and a quicker trigger on perimeter screens. “He’s already making full-field reads you rarely ask of college QBs,” one AFC director of scouting told Pro Football Network this week. With New Orleans and Tennessee both potentially bypassing quarterbacks next spring, the Jets—currently projected to pick third—could be positioned to pounce. Indiana travels to No. 7 Ohio State next weekend, a game expected to draw at least a dozen NFL decision-makers. Another signature performance on that stage could cement Mendoza as the consensus QB1 and add another twist to an already unpredictable draft race. For now, Bloomington is the epicenter of quarterback buzz, and Fernando Mendoza’s star keeps burning brighter.