Humble and No. 1 overall: What Fernando Mendoza gets that others don't
Fernando Mendoza was drafted first overall while Diego Pavia went undrafted. The NFL's message on attitude couldn't be clearer.
The 2026 NFL draft told a deeper story that had nothing to do with arm talent or 40-yard dash times. It was a story about character, and the football world should be paying attention. Fernando Mendoza , the 22-year-old Indiana quarterback who won the Heisman Trophy and led the Hoosiers to their first national championship in program history, was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders with the first overall pick.
And when he got the call, he wasn't in the green room; he wasn't even at the draft in Pittsburgh. Mendoza chose not to attend the draft in person, instead remaining in Coral Gables to “ share the draft experience ” with his family and friends, which included his mother, who lives with multiple sclerosis . That tells you everything.
Most Fernando Mendoza ringtone ever. Special moment for the #Raiders QB 🥲 pic. twitter.
com/qbJ51oCP9V — Nick Walters (@nickwalt) April 24, 2026 When the Ceremony Becomes the Story "I'm just looking forward to getting to work, prove at the next level," Mendoza told ESPN after the pick. "College was fantastic. I am so blessed to have that career, but now I step into a great game, the NFL.
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