ESPN’s Jordan Reid listed IU football quarterback Fernando Mendoza among his top nine “names to know” when it comes to the top signal-callers and the 2026 NFL Draft.
Mendoza joins quarterbacks from many of the traditional powers of college football.
Also listed by Reid are Drew Allar (Penn State), Carson Beck (Miami), Cade Klubnik (Clemson), Sam Leavitt (Arizona State), Arch Manning (Texas), John Mateer (Oklahoma), Garrett Nussmeier (LSU), and LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina).
Reid expects quarterbacks to be in high demand in 2026 because only two were chosen in the first round in April.
Mendoza transferred to IU from Cal during the offseason.
The 6-foot-5 and 225-pound redshirt junior joins his brother, redshirt freshman Alberto Mendoza, in the Indiana quarterback room. Alberto is the current No. 2 on the IU depth chart.
While leading Cal to a 6-6 season in 2024, Fernando was 265-of-386 (68.7%) passing for 3,004 yards, with 16 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He rushed for 105 yards and two scores.
IU coach Curt Cignetti has said repeatedly he likes Mendoza’s accuracy and arm strength, and the Miami native should also give the Hoosiers an added dimension with his ability to run.
Indiana has never had a quarterback chosen in the first round of the draft. Although they each made a major imprint on the IU record book, Kurtis Rourke and Nate Sudfeld, the last two IU quarterbacks chosen, went in the 7th and 6th rounds, respectively.
This is what Reid wrote about Mendoza in the ESPN article:
Where he excels: Mendoza arrives at Indiana after being the hub of Cal’s offense in 2024, throwing for 3,004 passing yards and 16 touchdowns with six interceptions. He has a snappy release that helps the ball come out of his hand with plenty of life. Mendoza is a precise passer who puts the ball in the proper place for his receivers, as evidenced by his FBS-best 5.1% off-target percentage last season. He is effective throwing from inside or outside the framework of the offense, ranking ninth in the FBS with a 91.1 QBR on throws outside of the pocket. He also excels at identifying and attacking advantageous one-on-one coverage situations.
Where he needs work: Mendoza’s escapability and effectiveness throwing from outside the pocket can lead to him being impatient and breaking the pocket prematurely. He needs to have more patience in letting concepts unfold, especially now that he will face upgraded defenses in the Big Ten. But Indiana’s offense is eerily similar to what he operated at Cal, giving Mendoza a chance to be a breakout candidate in 2025.
Watch: IU football QB Fernando Mendoza goes in depth with NBC Sports
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