New York Giants Draft Prospect Profile: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

No, the Giants don't need a quarterback, but let's take a look at the player many believe will be the first overall pick in the 2026 draft.

Indiana's Fernando Mendoza is projected t be the top pick in the 2026 draft. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Fernando Mendoza, QB

• Height: 6’5
• Weight: 225 lbs
• Class: RS-Junior
• School: Indiana
• STATS

A former three-star recruit out of Columbus High School in Miami Florida, where he – ironically – grew up minutes away from the Miami Hurricanes stadium. 

A storybook tale since Mendoza’s Hoosiers defeated the Hurricanes in the 2025 National Championship game. Mendoza led his high school team to an 11-3 record, while advancing to the 2021 state semifinals in Florida. He initially committed to Yale but flipped for Cal.

Mendoza was denied a walk-on scholarship from the Hurricanes, so he left Florida for Cal. He redshirted his 2022 season and started 18 games for Cal over a two year period. 

Mendoza would then link up with coach Curt Cignetti at Indiana and the two would win the National Championship together. Mendoza was a four-star prospect in the transfer portal last summer. 

He was the fourth ranked quarterback and the 22nd overall player. And less than a year later, he would take home the coveted Heisman Trophy.  

Mendoza won the Heisman, Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Award, the Davey O’Brien Award, and he was the AP College Football Player of the Year, while being a consensus All-American and the Big Ten Most Valuable Player. He took college football by storm with his winning grit and unique post-game interviews.

Pro Football Focus had Mendoza with a 5.7% Big Time Throw Rate and a 2.6% Turnover Worthy Play Rate. He had a 9.8 aDot and a 9.3 yards per attempt, while adding 377 yards on the ground, including a critical, and tough, touchdown run against Miami in the National Championship Game. 

Mendoza is likely destined to be a Las Vegas Raider, which would make him the fourth consecutive first overall quarterback; the last non-quarterback to be selected first overall was Travon Walker in 2022 to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Indiana's Fernando Mendoza (15) gets loose before the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Strengths

• Elite height with a muscular build
• Solid overall athlete 
• Can be successful extending plays
• Very high pre-to-post snap football IQ
• Reads the defense and accounts for their movement
• Rarely fooled by coverage-shifts
• Understands how to play quarterback – eyes are always in the right spot
• Improved pocket awareness and maneuverability 
• Clean and mechanics in the pocket
• Excellent footwork when sliding and resetting the pocket
• Very good under pressure and vs. the blitz
• Will stand tall in the pocket against pressure – poised 
• Excellent overall pocket presence – stands tall and sees the field well
• Comfortable – operates excellently within structure
• Plays on schedule with an excellent feel for rhythm 
• Quick release for a long armed quarterback
• Sharp and authoritative release in quick game – can snap it
• Very good ability to throw on the run
• Good NFL arm – can make all the throws
• Can rip the far-hash
• Above average zip on the football
• Excellent accuracy on back shoulder throws
• Very accurate quarterback overall
• Knows how to attack defensive leverage with accuracy 
• Elite short to intermediate accuracy 
• Pin-point placement, hitting receivers in stride
• Is not afraid to take a hit when going for an important conversion 
• Excellent competitive toughness – will put his body on the line
• Competitor with DEFYING odds story arch

Weaknesses

• Is a sufficient athlete, but not a difference maker with his legs
• Speed is unlocked linearly, rather than laterally 
• Can attempt to fit the football into tight windows that close quickly

Summary

Fernando Mendoza shows a clear command of the quarterback position. He consistently finds solutions with his mind—quickly identifying defensive movement, processing it within the context of the play call, and reacting decisively. 

He pairs that mental acuity with a strong internal clock and a keen sense of when to use his functional athleticism to steal short, efficient gains and stay ahead of the sticks. Mendoza is a high-processing quarterback who is rarely fooled post-snap, maintaining calm, confidence, and control under pressure.

He maneuvers the pocket well and proved to be effective against pressure—albeit at the college level—displaying poise and spatial awareness rather than panic. 

His pinpoint back-shoulder throws and consistent ball placement allow receivers to maximize yards after the catch, enabling Mendoza to methodically move the football against college defenses throughout the 2025 season. He plays tough, sees the field well, and possesses the requisite physical traits to translate to the next level.

While Mendoza is a capable athlete, he is not a dynamic, game-breaking runner, nor does he possess a truly elite arm. That said, his arm strength is more than sufficient to make every NFL throw, and it shows up when paired with timing, anticipation, and accuracy rather than raw velocity.

Overall, Fernando Mendoza warrants strong consideration as a top selection in the NFL Draft. Although the 2026 quarterback class lacks high-end depth, Mendoza should not be viewed merely as the best of a weaker group. 

His processing ability, accuracy, toughness, and command of the position provide legitimate reasons for optimism. With proper organizational support and sound offensive infrastructure—presumably in Las Vegas—Mendoza has the tools to develop into a long-term NFL starter with a bright future.

GRADE: 6.64

Nick Falato's Draft Grade Chart | Nick Falato

What happens next with the NY Giants? Find out! Follow and like us on Facebook. Visit our YouTube channel for the latest videos. Want to send a question in for our mailbag? Send it here.