Who is Fernando Mendoza? Superstar QB’s family and net worth as experts clash over NFL Draft stock
Fernando Mendoza is on the verge of becoming the next big name in the NFL.
But as the NFL Combine unfolds, some of the biggest names in sports media are debating whether the former Indiana Hoosiers star should even be the No. 1 overall pick.
Is Mendoza worthy of No. 1 pick in NFL Draft?
“There’s a lot of underwhelming,” said ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky, while reviewing Mendoza’s game tape from Indiana’s perfect 16-0 season.
“You’re looking and saying, ‘First pick? First pick?’ I think through eight games, Ty Simpson’s tape from Alabama … is significantly more impressive.”
Despite the critique, Mendoza is expected to join Tom Brady‘s Las Vegas Raiders as the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Mendoza, who won’t throw in Indianapolis during the pre-draft process, had to overcome multiple obstacles on his way toward college football history.
Once an overlooked two-star recruit from Miami who couldn’t get a walk-on offer from his hometown college, the 22-year-old Mendoza is now a Heisman Trophy winner and national champion.
San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle CJ West, who played for Indiana in 2024, praised Mendoza during the build up to Super Bowl LX.
“I got a chance to actually talk to him before the season started,” West said in an exclusive interview with talkSPORT.
“He’s a great guy. You can see it through his interviews. He’s very passionate about what he does. He’s a really respectable person, as well.”
From Yale to Cal and Indiana perfection
Born on October 1, 2003, the 6ft 5in and 225lb QB is officially named Fernando Gabriel Mendoza V.
He recently led the Hoosiers to a thrilling College Football Playoff national championship victory over the Miami Hurricanes.
“He won a national championship, and that’s what you want. You want a winner,” said new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak.
Coming out of Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, Mendoza was ranked as the No. 2,149 player in the country.
But when Mendoza asked for a preferred walk-on spot, he was turned down by the Hurricanes — despite growing up a mile from campus — in a move that Miami would later pay a huge price for.
With no Power Five scholarship offers, Mendoza initially committed to Yale in the Ivy League.
If that move north had gone through, it’s likely that the future college national champion never would have had a shot at the NFL.
Explaining the ‘why’ that inspires Mendoza
A late offer from the University of California in Berkeley eventually opened another door, which gave Mendoza two seasons with the Bears.
He threw for 4,712 yards and 30 touchdowns, then transferred to Indiana to play under head coach Curt Cignetti.
With the Hoosiers, Mendoza completed 72 percent of his passes for 3,535 yards, 41 TDs and a 182.9 rating while winning the Associated Press Player of the Year, Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, the Davey O’Brien Award, the Manning Award, the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award.
Caleb Downs, David Bailey, Arvell Reese, Spencer Fano and Carnell Tate could follow Mendoza in the 2026 NFL Draft, which will be held April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.
Mendoza’s personal motivation comes from a deeply athletic and resilient family background.
All four of Mendoza’s grandparents immigrated from Cuba to escape the Fidel Castro regime. The national champion honored his family’s legacy by delivering part of his Heisman speech in Spanish.
Mendoza’s father, Fernando Mendoza Sr., was a gold medalist in rowing at the 1987 Junior World Championships and competed for Brown University. He’s now a pediatric emergency department director.
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49ers defender praises Mendoza’s leadership
Mendoza’s mother, Elsa, played collegiate tennis at the University of Miami.
The future NFL QB is the eldest of three children and has two younger brothers, Alberto and Max.
Alberto served as Mendoza’s backup at Indiana during the Hoosiers’ 2025 title run, before transferring to Georgia Tech. Max is the youngest and is an aspiring athlete.
The brothers have raised more than $325,000 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Their mother has lived with MS for almost 20 years, and her battle is the ‘why’ that drives Mendoza daily.
The potential No. 1 pick earned a Business degree from Cal in just three years and managed one of the top NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) portfolios in the nation during his perfect Indiana season.
“I’m sure he’ll do great,” West told talkSPORT. “He seems very smart. He seems like he knows what he’s doing and he seems like he’s very coachable, as well.
“I’m sure he’ll come in the league and have a great opportunity to play well.”
Mendoza had an estimated NIL valuation of $2.6 million, highlighted by endorsement deals with Adidas, Dr Pepper, T-Mobile, and JLab Audio.
“Excited to share that I’ve accepted an opportunity to join adidas!” Mendoza said on LinkedIn, which he regularly uses despite his growing fame.
“I’m very grateful for everyone who has supported me along the way and excited to bring my passion for sport, leadership, and work ethic to the Three Stripes. Let’s get to work.”
If he goes No. 1 to the Raiders in April, Mendoza could receive a life-changing contract in the $50 million range.
Cam Ward was the top pick by the Tennessee Titans last season and entered the NFL on a four-year, $48.8m deal.
What could hold back Mendoza in NFL?
Mendoza’s impressive completion percentage is aided by a three-quarter throwing release.
He also displayed impressive toughness as a runner during Indiana’s national championship victory, and could become a Week 1 starter for his new NFL team.
But the reigning Heisman Trophy winner must improve his ability to throw outside of the pocket and learn how to play under center in the pros.
While Brady considers trading away five-time Pro Bowl defender Maxx Crosby, one name tops mock boards across the internet: Mendoza.
The Raiders need a new starting QB after Geno Smith disappointed and Pete Carroll was fired as head coach.
With the 38-year-old Kubiak taking over in Las Vegas following the Seattle Seahawks‘ Super Bowl triumph, Brady and Raiders owner Mark Davis ($2.5bn net worth) could soon place their struggling NFL franchise in the hands of a young QB who created perfect history at Indiana.
Mendoza’s NFL story is just beginning and he’s already proven a legion of doubters wrong.
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