Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza says he would be ‘blessed and honored’ to play for Raiders

Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza is now starting to change his mindset toward the NFL, which was really his goal when he transferred to Indiana. Mendoza and the Hoosiers enjoyed a perfect season together that ended with an improbable national championship. “It’s been a whirlwind,” Mendoza said Monday night before receiving the Davey O’Brien Award as the nation’s top college quarterback. “I think now it’s finally settled and the dust has started to settle. The national championship, and then boom, the next thing you know, you’re on a new chapter.” The final awards ceremony for Mendoza, the Cal transfer who grew up just a few miles from the Miami (Fla.) campus, came exactly four weeks after Indiana won its first national championship 27-21 over the Hurricanes in its stadium. It was also a week before the NFL combine, and a little more than two months after the opening night of the draft on April 23, when Mendoza could very well be the No. 1 pick for the Las Vegas Raiders and their new coach. “I would be blessed and honored to play for the Raiders, or I would be blessed to play for any team,” he said. “Any NFL team that drafts me, I’d be thrilled. I know at the draft, I’ll probably shed a tear or two just because it’s a full-circle moment for me. … The whole point of transferring to Indiana was to make the NFL. It wasn’t to be a great college player. It was to try to one day become an NFL quarterback.” [2026 NFL DRAFT: How Raiders HC Klint Kubiak Can Maximize Fernando Mendoza’s Potential] Mendoza threw for an FBS-leading 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns while completing 273 of 379 passes (72%) with just six interceptions. He totaled 4,712 passing yards and 30 touchdowns in 20 games over two seasons at Cal, earning him a late scholarship offer after being prepared, coming out of high school, to “go into debt” to play football at Yale – since no athletic scholarships are offered in the Ivy League – because he loved the game so much. Now the 22-year-old QB is preparing to move on to the highest level, knowing that success in college will not automatically translate to the pros. “College is great, but that part is behind me,” he said. “I feel like I’m satisfied with my college career. However, I’m now looking toward the NFL career. It requires new skills. It’s a grown man’s league.” When Mendoza accepted the Heisman Trophy in December, his intention was to keep the trophy forever in Bloomington, where he believed it belonged. It wasn’t until a few weeks later, with the Heisman Trophy on the line on Indiana’s campus, that he realized he also had one of his own to keep. “Then I brought it home and so it’s sitting in my living room, which is great,” he said. “Think about that decoration.” He even took his trophy to St. Paul Catholic Center in Bloomington, where he regularly attended Mass, to share with church leaders as Christmas approached. He also hopes to win the trophy at his high school in Miami. [COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Let’s Debate: 6 Burning Questions for College Football in 2026] The Davey O’Brien Award ceremony, named for the former TCU quarterback and 1938 Heisman winner, takes place just a few miles from the TCU campus. It’s also where the quarterback who will likely replace Mendoza has started for the past three seasons. Josh Hoover threw for 9,629 yards and 71 touchdowns in 36 games for the Horned Frogs before leaving in the portal for Indiana even before the national championship game. Mendoza said he had not had a chance to speak with Hoover and said any advice he had for his successor would be given in person. Associated Press reporting.