Projected top pick Fernando Mendoza makes big NFL Draft decision: report

Fernando Mendoza has reportedly made a large determination astir the NFL Draft: helium volition not beryllium attending it.

Mendoza, 22, would alternatively stock his draught acquisition with his household successful Miami than be the draught successful Pittsburgh, according to ESPN. The past clip the apical projected backmost did not be the NFL Draft was successful 2021 erstwhile Trevor Lawrence was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Mendoza’s mother, Elsa, has lived with aggregate sclerosis for implicit 15 years and is presently utilizing a wheelchair, which could beryllium a crushed for Mendoza’s reported determination to enactment home.

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Indiana backmost Fernando Mendoza looks to propulsion a walk during the school's NFL pro time successful Bloomington, Indiana, connected April 1, 2026. (AJ Mast/AP Photo)

The Heisman Trophy-winning backmost met with the Las Vegas Raiders connected Tuesday, who ain the apical prime successful this year’s NFL Draft. Mendoza has been projected to beryllium the apical enactment successful this year’s draught arsenic the play played out, starring for an undefeated Indiana squad that went connected to triumph the nationalist championship.

In 16 games past season, Mendoza completed 72% of his passes for 3,535 yards with 41 touchdowns and six interceptions. Mendoza’s 41 touchdowns led each Division I quarterbacks.

While the Raiders are wide expected to instrumentality Mendoza, determination is nary warrant helium volition commencement successful Week 1.

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Indiana Hoosiers backmost Fernando Mendoza (15) reacts with the trophy aft the College Football Playoff National Championship crippled astatine Hard Rock Stadium connected Jan. 19, 2026 successful Miami Gardens, Florida. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

However, Raiders number owner Tom Brady and wide manager John Spytek person said galore times that they judge successful not playing a young backmost close away, making it nary definite happening that Mendoza would commencement Week 1.

The Raiders officially signed Kirk Cousins connected Monday, providing them with a seasoned backmost who tin commencement portion Mendoza develops.

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Indiana Hoosiers backmost Fernando Mendoza (15) warms up earlier the Indiana Hoosiers versus the Miami Hurricanes College Football Playoff National Championship Game Presented by AT&T connected Jan. 19, 2026, astatine Hard Rock Stadium successful Miami Gardens, Florida. (David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Cousins besides has familiarity with caller Raiders caput manager Klint Kubiak. During Cousins’ clip with the Minnesota Vikings, Kubiak was his quarterbacks manager for 2 seasons and his violative coordinator for another.

If the Raiders bash so prime Mendoza, they anticipation helium tin beryllium the look of their franchise, careless of erstwhile they yet commencement him.

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