The ink is still drying on the 2025 NFL Draft class and most picks haven't even signed at this point, but there are already a bunch of folks out there (along with NFL teams) who have had their eyes on the 2026 NFL Draft class and some of the top up-and-coming prospects at the college level.
One of the most frequently discussed players already is Texas quarterback Arch Manning, who will officially be taking over for Quinn Ewers this year and getting the full-time starting role. Manning is more than just a namesake at this point, although that name certainly weighs heavily. He's been a top prospect since he was in middle school, and a big year at Texas this year will drive #1 overall pick hype through the roof.
But there are others vying for that distinction as well, and while Manning has a huge advantage of the spotlight naturally being on him, the latest potential #1 overall pick discussion is centered on an extremely unlikely candidate...
Indiana transfer Fernando Mendoza getting 2026 NFL Draft hype
It's a lot of fun to watch Fernando Mendoza operate on 3rd and 4th down.
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) May 6, 2025
He shows off a real understanding of the presnap operation and how to sort things out postsnap. And that's before you get to see his arm zip, aggressiveness, and ball placement on some of these throws. pic.twitter.com/0bTieFP1sJ
So who is Fernando Mendoza?
Mendoza is a Miami, FL native who played his first two years of college ball at California, where he completed over 68 percent of his passes for 3,004 yards and 16 touchdowns last season with just six interceptions.
But it's not the statistical production that has people talking about this guy. It's the qualities and traits you see on the field that are translatable to the next level.
Why did Mendoza transfer to Indiana? Indiana?
Believe it or not, despite offers from schools like Georgia and Miami, Mendoza felt like it was Indiana that offered him the best chance to get better at the things that are going to give him an NFL future. Maybe being at Indiana with his younger brother helped inform the decision, but the Hoosiers have put together an impressive staff offensively to help develop a quarterback like Mendoza.
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti hired Chandler Whitmer to his staff as quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator this offseason, and Whitmer has worked with the likes of Justin Fields, Trevor Lawrence, Michael Penix Jr., and Justin Herbert, among others.
The pressure is going to be on for Mendoza this coming season as the secret appears to be out. He's going to be under a ton of pressure to perform at a 1st-round level week after week with the way people in the NFL Draft community are already talking about him.
And he could go from the transfer portal to hearing his name called 1st overall in the 2026 NFL Draft if he plays his cards right.