BroBible
Who will be the first pick of the 2026 NFL Draft when it rolls around in April in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania? Well, according to several NFL scouts, the choice is clear.
It should be Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
In the latest straw poll conducted by ESPN, 13 of the 25 voters selected Mendoza, the 6-foot-5, 225-pound signal caller from Miami, Florida, to go No. 1 overall.
“He has ‘wow’ throws and playmaking passer ability,” one scout told ESPN. “He can anticipate post-snap.”
Added another: “He’s decisive, and he sees everything well. He’s got accuracy down the field and is very tough in the pocket.”
While Mendoza received the most votes by far, he was not the only vote getter.
Six voters chose Oregon’s Dante Moore, while three picked Alabama’s Ty Simpson (3). The remaining votes went to South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers, Cincinnati QB Brendan Sorsby, and Oklahoma’s John Mateer.
None of Mendoza, Simpson, or Moore received a first-place foot during the first poll, which was conducted on Sept. 20.
Recent reports suggest Moore may return to college for the 2026 season. But Mendoza’s ascent up the rankings should come as no surprise. Not only has he led the Hoosiers to a perfect record as one of the nation’s top transfers, but he’s also the betting favorite to win the 2025 Heisman Trophy.
Those odds will likely only improve after leading Indiana on an 80-yard, game-winning touchdown drive with under two minutes to play against Penn State on Saturday afternoon.
There are still several twists and turns before the 2026 NFL Draft. But Mendoza, given his play and his physical stature, Mendoza makes all the sense in the world as the current leader in the clubhouse to go No. 1. And there will undoubtedly be teams lining up to take him should they land the top pick.
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