Fernando Mendoza not attending 2026 NFL Draft

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is not among the 16 prospects planning to attend the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh on April 23.

BY FIELD LEVEL MEDIA

Apr 12, 2026, 10:07 AM Updated: 10:56 am

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Watch: Is Fernando Mendoza Pushing For The Starting Spot? | 20 mins

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is not among the 16 prospects planning to attend the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh on April 23.

There will be a large Big Ten Conference presence without the Heisman Trophy winner. Five of the six Big Ten prospects are Ohio State Buckeyes: linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles Jr., wide receiver Carnell Tate, safety Caleb Downs and defensive tackle Kayden McDonald.

Alabama and Miami (Fla.) each have multiple players scheduled to be in the green room.

Projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza has informed the NFL that he is not planning to attend the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh this month, per sources. Mendoza wants to share the draft experience with his family in Miami. pic.twitter.com/ApUc7UmIDX

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 7, 2026

Fernando Mendoza is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. The Las Vegas Raiders pick first overall and the New York Jets are second.

The first round of the draft is held in primetime Thursday, April 23, with the second and third rounds the following night. Rounds 4-7 are completed on Saturday.

Pittsburgh is hosting the NFL draft for the first time since 1948.

Players confirmed to attend the NFL draft:

1. David Bailey, LB, Texas Tech
2. Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami
3. Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
4. Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
5. Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn
6. Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
7. Makai Lemon, WR, Southern California
8. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
9. Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (Fla.)
10. Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
11. Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
12. Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
13. Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
14. Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
15. Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
16. Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

–Field Level Media

More on QB Fernando Mendoza

Fernando Mendoza is the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner and the leader of Indiana’s historic College Football Playoff National Championship run.

The 6-foot-5, 225-pound quarterback transferred from California and immediately transformed the Hoosiers into a powerhouse, finishing the 2025 season with 3,535 passing yards, 41 touchdowns, and just 6 interceptions while posting a 90.3 QBR.

Mendoza guided Indiana to a 13-0 regular season, a Big Ten title, and a No. 1 playoff seed, then capped it off by winning the national championship over Miami. He also became one of the most efficient quarterbacks in college football, leading the nation in touchdown passes and showing elite accuracy and poise throughout the year.

His combination of production, leadership, and clutch postseason performance made him a rare Heisman–national champion double winner in the same season, cementing his status as the top quarterback prospect heading into the NFL Draft