The NFL 2026 Draft is taking place now during three days, and Fernando Mendoza has been the no. 1 pick, as expected, going to Las Vegas Raiders, a team that hasn't won a play-off match in 24 years. The 22-year-old said he is ecstatic to join the Raiders and step into the great game of the NFL, after winning the Heisman Trophy, top prize to an individual player in college football, with a 16-0 record in 2025, as well as winning the NCAA and Finals MVP with the Indiana Hoosiers.
However, he didn't attend the event in Pittsburgh, and instead stayed in Miami with his family, because her mother cannot travel due to illness. Mendoza is born from Cuban immigrants who moved to Miami in 1960, and his great-grandparents are from Campanario, a village in Extremadura, Spain.
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According to Sky Sports, Mendoza wasn't considered a major prospect one year ago and he has had limited college interest out of high school, but a single breakout season with Indiana earned him the chance of playing in the big league.
"Deep down, I knew the Raiders were probably the best option for me because of the coaching staff. I think the team is a perfect fit for my playing style, with great teammates on both offense and defense; they're a formidable team. I think everything is aligning in my favor, and this position is a blessing", said Mendoza (via AS).
The Raiders have only won three Super Bowls, in 1976, 1980, and 1983, and have only appeared in play-offs twice in the last 20 years, in 2016 and 2021.