The race to be the #1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft is officially on, and there are a number of impressive-looking quarterback prospects for teams to choose from. At this point, it's impossible to know exactly how things are going to turn out or which players are going to end up being beloved in NFL front offices, but there is one player who is generating a ton of offseason hype.
And it's not Arch Manning. Or Cade Klubnik. Or Garrett Nussmeier.
It's not even someone from a school you will typically be talking about at this time of year.
It's none other than Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, a Cal transfer who started showing off his 1st-round stuff last year for the Bears. He transferred to Indiana this year in hopes of boosting his overall NFL Draft stock, and many are already taking notice.
Fernando Mendoza drawing QB1 hype for the 2026 NFL Draft already
Update on my initial 2026 QB1 race: Currently, it's as close as can be.
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) May 7, 2025
Need a playmaker who can create on-demand and dice up isolated DBs? Cade Klubnik is your guy.
Need a strong-armed gunslinger who can carve through coverages with layering and anticipation? Fernando Mendoza. pic.twitter.com/cdK6271o4g
There might be a lot more eyes with NFL intrigue in Bloomington, IN, than usual this year. The Hoosiers have put plenty of players into the NFL, but in all the time I've been doing this, I can't recall a singular player who has drawn this kind of hype coming from their program.
Mendoza appears to have true #1 overall pick skills, but how is he going to adapt to his new surroundings? Can he elevate his new teammates at Indiana and play well under the microscope.
It's one thing to put together an impressive body of work when nobody is really taking notice. It's another thing when folks in the media start to talk about you as the potential #1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. That adds pressure, and we've seen that pressure absolutely crush players in the past.
Mendoza has the skills NFL teams covet. He has the size NFL teams covet. He has put stuff on tape indicative of a promising professional future. Now, it's all about proving it against tough Big Ten competition. If he can put together another big season, he could very well be one-and-done at Indiana and a top-5 pick in 2026.
Indiana hasn't even had a player selected in the 1st round of the draft since 1994.