The Indiana Hoosiers capped off a stellar season by securing a national championship over the Miami Hurricanes earlier this week, led by Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Tom Brady Endorses Fernando Mendoza as Raiders’ Future QB
Mendoza, 22, is projected to not only be the first quarterback taken in the draft this April, but there are already mock drafts being released where he’s the No. 1 overall pick. After such a successful campaign that saw Mendoza account for 48 total touchdowns, it’s no wonder the Las Vegas Raiders would be content cementing him as their next franchise quarterback.
The Raiders have been in dire need of a franchise cornerstone under center for quite some time. Derek Carr wasn’t their answer, and neither was Aidan O’Connell or Geno Smith, who signed with the team in free agency last spring. If the Raiders hold true with all of the projections that the first overall selection will be spent on Mendoza, he’d be the highest-drafted quarterback for the organization since JaMarcus Russell in 2007.
Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, who owns part of the Raiders, will likely have a say in which direction the team will go. He was in attendance at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, for the national championship, and he came away impressed with what he saw from Mendoza, both in the game and for the season, which marked his first at the Hoosiers after transferring there from California for his junior season.
“He played tremendously all season, 16-0, leading his team,” Brady said on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd.”
“He’s another guy when you hear him speak. I always judge quarterbacks like, how would I have answered that? He’s a very mature young man; he’s got a bright future. Everybody coming into the league, there’s still so much room for development, nobody’s a finished product. I don’t care if you won the Heisman or if you’re the 199th pick in the draft. It’s what you do when you get there. How important is this to you? Are you obsessed with your job? Are you obsessed with being the best you can be?”
“He played tremendous all season, 16-0 leading his team… He’s just a very mature young man, he’s got a bright future.”@colincowherd and @TomBrady discuss Indiana Hoosier QB Fernando Mendoza pic.twitter.com/zlxphvxBCD
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) January 23, 2026
Mendoza didn’t throw a touchdown in the game, but he did account for a 12-yard rushing score in the fourth quarter that boosted the Hoosiers’ lead to double digits. It was the first time since the season-opening win over Old Dominion that Mendoza finished a game without throwing for a single touchdown.
That isn’t to take away from such a remarkable campaign that saw him toss 41 touchdowns to 6 interceptions, including another seven touchdowns on the ground. The week prior, Mendoza completed 85% of his passes and threw five touchdowns in the semifinals against Oregon.
By all accounts, Mendoza appears destined to join the Raiders in three months. But all that matters is the trajectory he’ll be on once he gets there; the Raiders aren’t exactly known for developing players.
