ESPN proposed a trade sending WR Keon Coleman from the Bills to the Raiders for a 2028 fifth-round pick. While Buffalo may keep him, the Raiders see him as an affordable option for rookie QB Fernando Mendoza.
Did the Los Angeles Rams make a big mistake? Did the Las Vegas Raiders build enough around Fernando Mendoza? And could there finally be something to shout about for the two New York teams?
Fernando Mendoza was the first pick in the NFL Draft. His mother, who lives with MS, inspired him to make a meteoric rise after being ranked 2,149th in the class of 2022, when he left high school.
The Las Vegas Raiders select quarterback Fernando Mendoza as the first overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Las Vegas Raiders selected quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft. The 22-year-old Heisman Trophy winner led Indiana to its first national championship and becomes just the third player to win the Heisman, a national championship and go first overall in the same year, joining Cam Newton (2011) and Joe Burrow (2020). Mendoza watched from Miami with family rather than attending the Pittsburgh event. The draft saw eight trades on day one, with 320,000 attending outside the Steelers' home.
Pick-by-pick: all the selections from the first roundTwo quarterbacks go in Thursday’s first roundThe story of the first round of the 2026 NFL draft surrounded a quarterback but it wasn’t No 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.As expected, the Las Vegas Raiders selected Mendoza with the first pick on Thursday after he led Indiana to the national title last season. But the shock of the night came when the Los Angeles Rams picked another quarterback, Alabama’s Ty Simpson, at No 13. The Rams current starting quarterback, Matthew Stafford, was named NFL MVP last season and Simpson was projected to be a second-round pick by many analysts. However, Stafford turned 38 in February and the Rams are starting to plan for life without him, although head coach Sean McVay insisted the veteran will remain the starter for the time being. “This is Matthew’s team,” said McVay. Continue reading...
Fernando Mendoza: LinkedIn Lunatic and endearing goofballRams select likely successor to Matthew StaffordCardinals pick running back Jeremiyah Love at No 3Here comes the NFL Commish!Roger Goodell walks on and eggs on the boos in Pittsburgh - what a good sport! He’s flanked by TJ Watt and Cam Heyward, just in case the crowd try anything. Continue reading...
Fernando Mendoza: LinkedIn Lunatic and endearing goofballStaff predictions: stars, needs and lower-round gemsMail [email protected] with your thoughtsHere comes the NFL Commish!Roger Goodell walks on and eggs on the boos in Pittsburgh - what a good sport! He’s flanked by TJ Watt and Cam Heyward, just in case the crowd try anything. Continue reading...
Fernando Mendoza: LinkedIn Lunatic and endearing goofballStaff predictions: stars, needs and lower-round gemsMail [email protected] with your thoughtsHere comes the NFL Commish!Roger Goodell walks on and eggs on the boos in Pittsburgh - what a good sport! He’s flanked by TJ Watt and Cam Heyward, just in case the crowd try anything. Continue reading...
The 2026 NFL Draft begins in Pittsburgh with Las Vegas selecting QB Fernando Mendoza first overall. The Indiana quarterback, a Heisman Trophy winner and national champion, becomes the first top pick not to attend the draft in person since Trevor Lawrence. Other top picks include RB Jeremiyah Love to Arizona at No. 3 and LB Arvell Reese to the Giants at No. 5.
The 2026 NFL Draft kicks off in Pittsburgh with the Las Vegas Raiders selecting Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza from Indiana with the No1 overall pick. The Jets took Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey at No2, followed by the Cardinals drafting Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love at No3. The Titans selected Ohio State WR Carnell Tate at No4, and the Giants chose LB/Edge Arvell Reese from Ohio State at No5.
The Las Vegas Raiders select Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza from Indiana with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The New York Jets follow by taking Texas Tech linebacker David Bailey with the second pick, while the Arizona Cardinals select Notre Dame running back Jeremiah Love at No3. The draft is being held in Pittsburgh for the first time since 1948, with 500,000-700,000 fans expected over the three-day event.
The 2026 NFL Draft kicks off in Pittsburgh with the Las Vegas Raiders selecting Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza from Indiana with the first overall pick. The New York Jets followed by choosing Texas Tech linebacker David Bailey, who recorded 14.5 sacks last season. The draft returns to Pittsburgh for the first time since 1948, with an expected turnout of 500,000-700,000 fans over the three-day event.
The NFL Draft begins on Thursday, with Fernando Mendoza a huge favourite to be the first pick, but who are the other prospects to look out for?
The Las Vegas Raiders hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and are expected to select quarterback Fernando Mendoza. GM John Spytek is focused on building a supporting cast, with an emphasis on defensive depth and potential trade-back scenarios.
Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza is redefining the modern football prospect by blending corporate-style professional branding on LinkedIn with intense on-field performance, signaling a shift in how athletes manage their careers and public personas.
ESPN's NFL Nation reporters revealed their first-round mock draft picks for the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. The Las Vegas Raiders selected quarterback Fernando Mendoza from Indiana with the No. 1 pick. The draft featured six teams holding two first-round picks after the Cincinnati Bengals traded the No. 10 pick to the New York Giants for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II. Other notable picks include running back Jeremiyah Love to the Giants at No. 5, safety Caleb Downs to the Giants at No. 10, and multiple pass rushers going in the first round.
Mel Kiper Jr. updated his draft rankings one last time. His Big Board stacks 150 prospects -- starting with Fernando Mendoza -- and goes deep at every position.
Fernando Mendoza, who was ranked 2,149th in his high school class and was initially a fourth-choice quarterback at nine years old, has overcome the odds to become the Heisman Trophy winner and overwhelming favourite for the first pick in Thursday's NFL Draft. The 22-year-old led Indiana to an undefeated 16-0 season and national championship, inspired by his mother Elsa Mendoza, who has lived with multiple sclerosis for nearly 20 years and uses a wheelchair. All four of his grandparents are Cuban immigrants, and he has raised awareness for MS through fundraising campaigns.
Mel Kiper Jr. updated his NFL draft rankings one last time. His Big Board stacks 150 prospects -- starting with Fernando Mendoza -- and goes deep at every position.
The Jets face a critical decision at No. 2 between edge-rusher David Bailey and versatile defender Arvell Reese. Meanwhile, the Titans weigh the value of drafting running back Jeremiyah Love, and quarterback Ty Simpson emerges as a polarizing first-round prospect.
Fernando Mendoza, whose mother Elsa has lived with multiple sclerosis for nearly 20 years, won the Heisman Trophy after leading Indiana to a 16-0 season and national championship. The Miami native, who was ranked 2,149th coming out of high school and was the 140th quarterback in the class of 2022, is the overwhelming favorite to be selected first in Thursday's NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders, who have the first pick and where his idol Tom Brady is a minority owner.
The consensus top pick is bringing his unique mix of curiosity, quirk and command to the NFL.
Fernando Mendoza is portrayed as the likely top pick in the 2026 NFL draft after leading Indiana to a national championship. The article highlights his elite accuracy, composure and unconventional personality, which scouts view as unusual but not disqualifying.
