Mendoza's NFL Draft Journey: Hoosiers' Historic Pick

0:00On April 24, picture this. Right in the middle of Indiana's Spring Football game at Memorial Stadium, quarterback Fernando Mendoza gets selected as, the number one overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. He just capped off a perfect 16-0 season for the Hoosiers, leading them to a college football playoff national title and becoming Indiana's. First ever Heisman trophy winner. It was a huge moment for the program, marking only their second number one pick ever after Corby Davis back in 1938. Mendoza skipped the draft glitz and stayed home in Miami to share with his mom, Elsa, who battles multiple sclerosis, keeping things low-key after. All the family travel for his games. Fans inside the stadium lost it, cheering wildly even as the game paused for the announcement. Coach Kurt Signetti jumped right in, hyping Mendoza on the Big Ten Network, saying he's earned every bit of it and will thrive in the pros. Mendoza himself told ESPN he's grateful for his college run and pumped to

1:04grind in the NFL. The Raiders just inked Kurt Cousins to a one-year deal where $20 million guaranteed with options that could stretch it to five years and $172 million. Mendoza called it a dream organization with great teammates waiting. As the crowd settled, Indiana's Grant Wilson scrambled for a 70-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Morris, echoing Mendoza's magic from last year, and now eyes turn to more Hoosiers hitting NFL camps over the next few days. This has been NFL News Today, powered by AI.