Fernando Mendoza is a quarterback from Indiana who is ranked No. 5 on my NFL Draft Top 100 Big Board. This comprehensive scouting report analyzes Mendoza’s draft potential, current mock draft trends, and where he ranks among the top prospects.
To view where I rank other draft prospects heading into this week’s slate of college football games, visit my Week 9 Top 100 Big Board.
Fernando Mendoza’s NFL Draft Potential
Fernando Mendoza began the regular season as a legitimate QB1 candidate in an uncertain QB class, and he’s somehow delivered tenfold on expectations, morphing into a QB1 favorite. As of this writing, he’s thrown for 1,755 yards, 21 touchdowns, and just two interceptions in seven games. He has the second-highest PFSN QBi score in the PFSN CFB QBi database with a mark of 96.4, and he has the Indiana Hoosiers in their strongest position in almost six decades.
Every week, it’s been something different Mendoza does on tape that earns the allure of NFL Draft minds. In his outing against Illinois, it was his timeliness and ability to distribute efficiently. Against Iowa, it was his ability to rebound from a tough late-game interception to throw the game-winning touchdown pass with pressure bearing down.
Against Oregon, it was his unflinching consistency driving the ball outside the numbers with anticipation. And against Michigan State, it was his effortless deep touch and layering on boundary fades.
Put it all together, and you have a staggeringly complete 2026 NFL Draft prospect: At 6’5″, 225 pounds, Mendoza has the prototypical frame, along with the requisite athleticism to create when needed.
But ultimately, he depends on his passing ability first, and it’s easy to see why. He has stellar pocket depth discipline and navigation ability, he’s a quick processor who stays on-schedule, he can deliver throws with sharp situational precision, and he has the rifle arm to drive high-level velocity to his targets and hit tight windows before they close.
Mendoza isn’t quite as consistent operating on the move, particularly rolling to his left against his dominant hand, and every now and then, arm arrogance gets the best of him. But overall, he’s a QB1 favorite worthy of “first overall pick” status for a QB-needy team. He has all of the physical and intangible qualities to be an elite multi-level thrower in the NFL and a franchise QB in the mold of Carson Palmer or Matt Ryan.
Where Is Mendoza Being Selected Most Often in the PFSN Mock Draft Simulator?
Mendoza currently holds the No. 5 overall rank among prospects, indicating his elite standing as of the most recent update. His most recent Average Draft Position (ADP) of 7.5 as of October 13 reflects that he is typically being selected within the top 10 picks overall.
This small gap between rank and ADP suggests he’s consistently valued among evaluators, even amid fluctuations in player evaluations at this stage of the draft cycle.
Users controlling the Pittsburgh Steelers have been the team that selected Mendoza the most frequently over the past week, accounting for 1.7% of their picks across all seven rounds. Notably, 10.8% of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first-round selections over that same period were used on Mendoza, underscoring users’ strong preference for him as a potential immediate-impact quarterback.
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Where Does Fernando Mendoza Rank Amongst Other NFL Draft Prospects?
Mendoza is currently ranked No. 5 overall in my October 2026 NFL Draft Big Board. Among QB prospects, Mendoza ranks 1st at the position, making him the top-rated QB in this draft class. With a top-10 ranking, Mendoza is considered one of the elite prospects in the 2026 class.
Want to see how we rank all the draft prospects in the PFSN Mock Draft Simulator? Check out our NFL Draft Prospect Rankings page, which includes more than 750 prospects.
