$2.6 million QB seen as legitimate NFL franchise quarterback ahead of CFP semifinal

The transition from college greatness to pro greatness is never a given. For every Peyton Manning type who makes the jump seamlessly, there's seemingly a Ryan Leaf who doesn't. Other times, the question is one of evaluation, such as when Shedeur Sanders slid from possible top overall pick to pick No. 144.

The 2025 college QB class seems to be one of those occasions where top performance and top NFL Draft status should align. Many of the top NFL Draft prospects just happent o also have been the top college passers of the year. And that trend starts at the top.

Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza is the QB of the nation's No. 1 team and the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, and has a $2.6 million NIL valuation from On3sports. He's also arguably the top NFL Draft prospect in the class, along with Oregon's Dante Moore. On ESPN's Get Up, analyst Joey Galloway delivered a positive verdict on Mendoza's NFL situation.

Affirming Mendoza's ability as a potential NFL franchise passer, Galloway noted, "[W]hen I look at college quarterbacks, I want to see them be on time.... You see a lot of college quarterbacks that are holding on to the football, and that's a problem when they get to the next level." Not so with Mendoza, notes Galloway.

"Mendoza seems to be like a guy that is already playing at that level, getting the ball out of his hands," Galloway noted. "He's on time, he's in the pocket, and as a receiver, I like to know where my quarterback is. He's in the pocket, I hit my third step, the ball should be coming to me on time. That seems like Mendoza as a quarterback is already in that place where he's going to need to be to be successful in the NFL."

.@Joey_Galloway says Fernando Mendoza "really does" look the part of a franchise QB in the NFL ✍️ pic.twitter.com/ZITk0NJBnG
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) January 7, 2026

Mendoza's explosion as a prospect has been a mild surprise. He was a well-regarded QB in his two seasons at California, but didn't seem to be largely seen as a superstar until he arrived in Curt Cignetti's offense. For instance, On3's Andy Staples ranked him as the third best QB in the Big Ten in the preseason.

With at least one game left, Mendoza has thrown for 3,172 yards and 36 touchdowns against just six interceptions. Interestingly, Mendoza has been at his best statistically in the second half of games and on third-down passing attempts.

The Los Angeles Raiders have locked in the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and the team is believed to be hunting for a QB. With Mendoza and Dante Moore considered the solid top two in the QB derby, it'll be interesting to see if Mendoza's status and potential see him join the small club of Heisman winners who then went No.1 in the ensuing NFL Draft (Joe Burrow was the most recent).