Fernando Mendoza on faith, family, and his NFL Draft journey to No. 1 overall pick

This is a big week for Fernando Mendoza.

One that will end with him, in all likelihood, as the first-overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the new face of the Las Vegas Raiders. So how did that week begin for the Indiana quarterback and 2025 Heisman Trophy winner?

By sitting down to chat with SB Nation first thing Monday morning.

“No other way I’d want to do it,” said Mendoza to me with a bright smile over Zoom on Monday.

Our conversation began with a look back.

“I would sum up the past year as a blessing,” began Mendoza.

“When I decided to take the leap of faith from California to Indiana, I was unsure about what the results would be. However, my parents made sure that I stayed focused in the present moment to then best serve my teammates and best serve my situation at hand. I’ve had great teammates and great coaches. Which allowed the team to win the Big Ten Championship, a national championship, and the team to win a Heisman, which was awesome.

“So, I would say this has been an ultimate blessing, and look forward to the next opportunity at hand.”

Fernando Mendoza’s draft process

For years, I’ve described the NFL Draft as the world’s longest, strangest job interview.

I asked Mendoza how this process has been for him, and whether he would agree with that assessment. He began with a word I was not quite expecting.

“The NFL draft process has been extraneous,” started Mendoza.

“However, I am excited that I’ve been a part of it, and it’s been a complete honor. I’ve really enjoyed all the testing and quizzing, whether it’s been in Zoom, formal interviews with the Combine, or every single day, preparing like you have the largest job interview at hand, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

“It’s been a blessing, and although I said it has been extraneous, it’s been great to be able to quiz and test and poke and prod at it. Time for everybody to know who the real me is. It’s really hard to fake an interview, you know, over a couple months. Maybe one day you can fool somebody, but over a couple months, when everybody watches the film, does more research, they find out who you really are, so I’m really excited about how this process has already been going,” concluded Mendoza.

An area where Mendoza certainly stands out is as a leader, and with his competitive toughness. Take the Big Ten Championship Game, where he took an absolute shot early against Ohio State but quickly returned to the lineup to help Indiana win a title. Or the comeback against Penn State, and of course the tough fourth-down touchdown run against Miami in the National Championship Game.

Competitive toughness matters for a quarterback. Just ask Mendoza.

“I believe competitive toughness is one of the most important strengths for a quarterback to have, because the quarterback needs to be able to be resilient. And not only when things are going right, needs to inspire his team to then take the next step to then secure the win, but also when things are not going well, when the quarterback has a bad game, when the team loses, or when the team’s down in the fourth quarter, that competitive toughness
and competitive emotional toughness is extremely important, and I believe it’s a trait you see in all the top quarterbacks, and it’s a trait I’ve tried to emulate,“ described Mendoza.

However, in his unassuming fashion, Mendoza conceded he still has much to learn about this trait, and being a leader.

“I still need to learn a lot more about it,” added Mendoza.

“I still have a long way to go with my competitive toughness, but I believe I’m on the right track, and I’ve learned from a lot of great mentors and idols before me.”

I then asked Mendoza if there was one play he would use to sum up his draft profile for teams, albeit with a caveat.

He could not pick that aforementioned run against Miami.

“Although that [run against Miami] looks like the clear-cut answer, that would not be my answer either way, because I like throwing the ball more. I believe I’m a very efficient passer,” started the Indiana quarterback.

“I would say the play is not a play that’s been broadcast a lot. It was at the end of the third quarter, or start of the fourth quarter, I believe, against Iowa. I threw a seam route to Elijah Sarratt on the left side of the field.
I believe we’re in the minus-30 or minus-25 yard line,“ continued Mendoza.

“And it was just a great play, great connection, it was gritty all around, and that’s the play that I would use.”

Here is that play in question, and it is a great play, from Mendoza reading the late rotation in the secondary to putting this seam ball right on the money, highlighting the accuracy that is another big part of his evaluation.

And of course, taking a huge shot just after making the throw, bringing us back to that competitive toughness trait.

I then asked Mendoza to walk me through that play, starting with his pre-snap process. That’s when he gave me a great breakdown of how he begins plays at the line of scrimmage, complete with an acronym I was not expecting.

“Yeah, my pre-stamp process is a vital part of my preparation, and a vital part of my success this year. I’ve always been able to, at the line, this past year, have a ‘PIMP,’” started the quarterback.

That stands for Protection, Intent, Mechanics, and Problems.

“Which means I always go over my protection first, so you know what your hot answers are. Am I gonna be hot off a defender? Who am I responsible for as a quarterback to make sure I can best serve my teammates, and either check the play, or make us in a positive play? Then the intent of the play, why are we calling this play?
If it’s, you know, third down and two, I’m not gonna throw a go ball 70 yards down the field obviously, unless it’s open, but it’s probably not the intent of the play,“ described Mendoza.

“The mechanics of each play, which are the progression, the footwork, and the intricacies, technique-wise, that a quarterback needs to have, whether it’s, you know, checking it from one side, a nd whether it’s making it an audible, those are the mechanics that apply,” added the quarterback.

“And the last one are the problems.

“For example, if we have a pass play called, and it is awful against Cover 2, and I know my problems against Cover 2, we usually have a hot route, or a check that we can get out of.

“So the ‘PIMP’ is a process I had in college, and I look forward to whatever process my future coaching staff wants me to use, and best thinks that it can best serve our team in the NFL, I’m very open and very amicable to using that.”

Even with his strengths as a quarterback, and the expectation that he will be the first player selected on Thursday night, Mendoza knows he will need to keep improving.

And he knows exactly where he needs to improve.

“I believe the under-center nature is very important, and the play-action nature, especially in a lot of the offenses that have been successful in this league, it’s been making the play-action pass look the same as the run action, to make the linebackers confused, and to really put the defense on hesitation for a split second. And with that, I believe that if you can get that as a rookie, it’s gonna be vital and help your development,” described Mendoza.

Still, whatever team drafts him is getting someone with “competitive toughness” and “emotional intelligence,” in his words.

“My character, I believe, has been put on display, and I look forward to improving that. I have a lot of work to improve, and really look forward to whatever team drafts me, to diving into that program, diving into the strengths and weaknesses they believe I have, and how they’re gonna develop me, and get me ready to play on Sundays. I still believe I have a lot of work to do, but I’m excited to take that work, bumps and bruises head-on,” began Mendoza when I asked him what the team that drafts him is getting in a player, and a person.

“Character, you’re gonna get someone with competitive toughness, and get someone with emotional intelligence.
Whether he gets cheered off the field, or booed off the field, he’s gonna get better every each and single week, by his process and preparation.

“I’m gonna make sure that I can be the best leader to the situation that I’m in. Whatever leadership role I can be a part of, whether it’s taking a backseat as more of a servant leader, or taking a front seat. Whatever it is, I am all there for the team, the team, the team, the team. That’s what I want to help to win games, and that’s all I’m there for, whatever role I should play.”

And as far as the player they are getting?

That team is getting a point guard. A very efficient point guard.

“As a player, you’re getting someone who’s gonna be an efficient passer and gonna be a point guard of the ball. I believe I was able to show that later in the season, where there were games where my completion percentage was very high, and some games where I was even lucky enough to throw more touchdowns than incompletions,” started Mendoza.

“I look forward to refining and being the point guard of the team whenever I’m plugged in, and helping the team be the most efficient. Because although I think I’m great, and my mom thinks I’m a great playmaker, I understand the real playmakers are tight ends, receivers, and running backs, and our offensive line, and I look forward to making those guys shine on Sundays,” continued Mendoza.

Fernando Mendoza’s work with Pfizer

In addition to talking about the NFL Draft, we also talked about the work Mendoza is doing with Pfizer. The company is starting an awareness campaign promoting the importance of early cancer screenings, and the campaign even includes the incredible locker room speech from Al Pacino at the end of Any: Given Sunday:

Two commercials have also been filmed featuring Mendoza, with those ads set to air on Thursday night during the NFL Draft.

I asked Mendoza about this campaign, and why it matters to him.

“This campaign is important to me because I’ve been very public about my family’s health, and friends and family’s health, and I believe that health should be at the forefront. And it’s where you see the best players perform, it’s one of the most important values of life, and it’s something that I believe is one of the most important values of life,” added Mendoza.

“And 50% of Americans are late on their cancer screenings, and I believe that I have a platform, and that I should use it for goodwill, and that I’ve been put on this platform to use it for goodwill, and be able to put the message out there that you should get early screened, then have early detections, then help your family life, as it helped my life, early screens.

“It’s very vital, and it’s something I believe I should use my platform for,” continued Mendoza.

This is not the first time Mendoza has used his platform in such a manner. Starting at California he helped raise money for multiple sclerosis research, a matter that it personal to his family. That work continued at Indiana alongside his brother Alberto, a fellow quarterback on the Indiana roster. As of this week the brothers have raised nearly $370,000 for the National MS Society, continuing their “fight against MS.”

Mendoza believes helping people in their day-to-day lives is the most “rewarding” part of being an athlete.

“I feel like there are a lot of partnerships, however, the ones that have tangible applications, and that could help people day-to-day in their life, are the most important, and the most rewarding for an athlete like me,” began Mendoza. “And that is why I decided to partner with Pfizer, because you can see the tangible application, as I’ve seen in my family’s life, and friends’ life, as well.

“But I’ve been able to see it. And my message here today can maybe push someone there to get a screening, and that could help drastically improve their health and their family’s life, and that’s very important to me.”

Readers interested in learning more are encouraged to head to PfizerForAll.com/screenings to learn about which cancer screenings may be right for them.

Fernando Mendoza’s path to No. 1

Fernando Mendoza has walked a winding path to this moment, where he is on the cusp of being the first player selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.

It began with two recruiting stars, minimal interest on the recruiting trail, and nearly committing to Yale before enrolling at California.

I asked Mendoza about that path, and what advice he would have for young athletes who might be frustrated with how their own journey is unfolding.

“You mentioned it in your question,” started Mendoza. “I was a two-star recruit, and that was my problem. My problem wasn’t being a two-star recruit, the problem was labeling myself as a two-star recruit. So I put this imaginary ceiling over my head, capping my potential, and capping my output and belief in myself.

“However, my family, especially my mom, helping with the optimistic approach, saying, ‘Hey, if you see the best in situations, you’ll get the best in situations. You’re not a 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-star.

“So at that point, just focus on you, focus on what you need to work on, and that process, and as I’ve seen in my journey, that two-star barrier, or imaginary ceiling, has been lifted for unlimited and exponential growth.”

Something else that has helped Mendoza along his journey is his faith. He is very open about his Catholic faith, and over the course of our time together he used the word “blessing” several times. That faith has kept him grounded throughout his journey.

“I believe that God has put me in this position in order to help other people,” began Mendoza when I asked him about his faith.

“So, whether it’s raising money for health initiatives, whether it’s giving back to the community, or whether it’s spraying His Word, I believe that that is a reason that I’ve been blessed to this point, and that’s a big reason why I took the Heisman back to the Catholic Church [on the Indiana campus]. It was an awesome experience, and it’s been really grounding, whether it’s been prayer, meditation, or Mass.

“It’s been a big part of my journey, and a big guidance on how to live a better life.”

Of course, Mendoza points to his parents as another part of the foundation of support around him, as he marches closer to being the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

“My parents have allowed me to be my own man,” started Mendoza when I asked him about their influence.

“They’ve been able to support me and give them the framework to what successful players, characters, and people
I’ve had in the past. However, they’ve told me, ‘[H]ey, if you want to play football, great, no worries. If you want to study in finance, great, no worries. Whatever you want to do, make sure they have a love and passion for it, and we’re going to be here supporting you along the way, no matter what bumps and bruises occur.‘

“And with that, I’ve been very fortunate to have them, and really have exercised that framework, which I believe has helped me get to this point today.”

Mendoza is opting to spend Thursday night in Miami with his family and friends, rather than attend the 2026 NFL Draft in person in Pittsburgh.

He told me that he wanted to spend the night with the “whole village” of people who “poured into my football journey.”

“I’m excited,” Mendoza said to me. “We decided to do it at home because there’s been a lot of travel this year, especially with [the] playoff run, the Heisman, Big Ten Championship. And to be able to do it at home, with the whole village of everybody who’s poured into my football journey, I believe that’s at the forefront and the most prominent purpose of the draft, because this is not an ending, this is a journey, and this is a new beginning. And I’m excited to get catapulted into the next opportunity with everybody who’s pushed me to this point, and helped me get to this opportunity so far.

“My parents really wanted to do it at home. And to have them there, and we’re gonna be traveling out the next day to whatever team drafts me. So, it’s gonna be good being at home, sleeping in our bed, and then heading out in the morning.”

As our time came to an end, I had one final question for Mendoza: Has he thought about that moment when he hears his name called, and will he announce his next move on LinkedIn, his social media app of choice?

He told me he can’t wait to change his status to “employed” on that app.

“Yes, hopefully I go from unemployed to employed,” said Mendoza with a laugh.

“Yeah, I see my status update, definitely, so that’d be awesome.“

He then admitted that he really has not started to think about what that moment will be like. Thursday night.

“I have not let myself … have some type of forward-living experience and foreshadowing of the draft yet.”

He did admit, however, that it is finally starting to feel real, and that he knows that soon enough, he will be on an NFL team, starting his professional journey.

“However, later in the draft process, I came to a realization, especially on the 30 visits. It’s like, wow, okay, this is real. It’s been talked [about], it’s been the Combine, but in reality, I’m most likely going to be in one of these NFL rooms or facilities in the next coming of weeks. So that realization set in, and it just increased the urgency, whether it’s physically, mentally, or emotionally.”

That process will begin in earnest Thursday night.

In all likelihood as the first-overall selection.

For the full video, you can watch the interview here.

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