Mendoza the consensus No.1
Fernando Mendoza remains the consensus top prospect and the likely No. 1 overall pick as the 2026 draft countdown intensifies — USA TODAY’s updated top‑150 lists him atop quarterback rankings. Teams are adjusting boards after free agency, and mock drafters still project Mendoza to anchor the class for April 23 in Pittsburgh ( ).
Mendoza closed the 2025 season with 3,535 passing yards, 41 touchdowns and six interceptions in 16 games while completing 72.0% of his passes and posting a 182.9 passer rating. (espn.com) He won the 2025 Heisman Trophy — the 91st presentation — earning 2,362 points with 643 first‑place votes to become the first Heisman winner in Indiana program history. (heisman.com) The signal‑caller arrived in Bloomington after transferring from California, formally committing to Indiana on Dec. 24, 2024, a move that turned him into one of the portal’s most sought‑after quarterbacks. (espn.com) Las Vegas holds the No. 1 overall pick for the April 23–25 draft in Pittsburgh — its first top selection since 2007 — and the Raiders are reported to be arranging a Top‑30 visit with Mendoza ahead of draft weekend. (raiders.com) The NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus board, which aggregates 123 big boards and 951 first‑round mock drafts, lists Mendoza as its No. 1 projection and projects him to go to the Raiders. (nflmockdraftdatabase.com) Debate persists: ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky and others have elevated Alabama’s Ty Simpson as a comparable prospect, even as outlets such as Pro Football Network and FantasyPros continue to place Mendoza atop recent mock drafts. (msn.com)
