Overview
- Mendoza has entered the 2026 NFL Draft and multiple outlets project him as the likely first pick, with some linking him to the Las Vegas Raiders.
- He won the Heisman Trophy after leading Indiana to a 16-0 season and the program’s first national championship, throwing for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns on 72% completions.
- He transferred from Cal to Indiana before the 2025 season to play in a system he believed would make him pro-ready under coach Curt Cignetti.
- His mother, Elsa, lives with multiple sclerosis and shared a personal letter in The Players’ Tribune in December 2025, a story that has shaped how coverage frames his motivation and family support.
- Off the field, reports peg his NIL valuation near $2.6 million, and his LinkedIn lists a business degree from UC Berkeley and an MBA from Indiana University.