Expected No. 1 draft pick receives lofty comparison to Drake Maye

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who is the likely No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, has been receiving comparisons to New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.

The Athletic's Bruce Feldman even took things a step further by admitting that he likes Mendoza more as a prospect coming out of college than he did Maye in 2024.

"There are some physical traits in terms of arm strength and ability to run, where Drake Maye may have a little more, but I feel much better about Fernando than I did about Drake — and I like Drake," Feldman wrote.

Mendoza will be entering the NFL with a lot of momentum at his back after winning the Heisman Trophy and National Championship in the 2025 college season. He is expected to be the first name called off the board by the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Maye was the No. 3 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. He came into the NFL with limited experience playing in college football games and has quickly morphed into an All-Pro quarterback. He was the runner-up for the MVP award last season, and he helped his team win three playoff games to get to Super Bowl LX.

Maye is only in his third NFL year, but these are still lofty comparisons for Mendoza, who might face an even tougher road playing in Las Vegas.

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