After leading Indiana to a historic national championship success in January, Fernando Mendoza was drafted as the first-overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. The quarterback brings all of the hype and lofty expectations with him to the professional stage.
However, Mendoza has one last duty to participate in for his alma mater as his much-anticipated career with the Raiders takes off. The Hoosiers are scheduled to visit the White House on May 11, a traditional honor given to college football national champions since 1961.
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While this is considered something big, it doesn’t seem like Fernando Mendoza will be participating in the event. In his media availability on Saturday, the quarterback expressed his feelings on attending the White House event, as it clashes with the beginning of the Raiders’ OTA.
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“I believe May 11th is the first day of OTAs, but if I’m not mistaken, I have the calendar,” Mendoza said. “However — I don’t have the calendar, sorry — I can’t believe it, I’m sorry. I’ve got to check Teamworks. If it is on the first day of OTAs, like I said, I’m the bottom of the totem pole here. I’ve got to prove myself.
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“I can’t describe this. I’m not a big official. I don’t have a calendar. But I just wouldn’t. As a rookie, I don’t think that’s a good look. And I want to try to best serve my teammates. And I don’t know if that would be an accomplishment or a goal. Although it would be a goal.”
Insider questions Fernando Mendoza’s No. 1 pick credentials
NFL Network Tom Pelissero was on the “Rich Eisen Show” on Friday, where he was asked to break down how Fernando Mendoza ranked against other quarterbacks in the draft. In his analysis, the insider believed he wouldn’t have been consensus No. 1 pick if other prospects had entered the draft.
“In all my quarterback research this year, and talking to people about Fernando Mendoza: Where would he fit in?” Pelissero said. “He’s clearly QB one in this class, but where would he fit into a broader group of quarterbacks?
“One of the things that came up repeatedly was if some of the other guys came out this year, he might not have even been the No. 1 pick. Dante Moore is one — got a ton of money to go back to Oregon. Brendan Sorsby is another, who, for some people, had a really high grade — a first-round grade.”
Despite the widespread belief that he is the best quarterback in the 2026 draft, there was a lot of doubt about Mendoza’s ability to thrive on the professional stage. Quite a lot of questions were raised about his plays and measurables, but that didn’t stop the Raiders from picking him.
Edited by Farouk Yusuf
