Indiana QB Mendoza skips Draft, stays true to himself

Fernando Mendoza brought a bit of a shock both to fans and the NFL world in general when he elected to not attend the 2026 NFL Draft. He will instead be spending that time with his family in Miami, Florida.

To be fair, it is extremely rare to see a projected No. 1 overall pick to not appear for what will be one of the most pivotal moments of their lives. But with a player who has the nature Mendoza has, it should be anything but that.

Nothing Mendoza has ever said or done points to the thought he would want to be in the spotlight. In practically every interview he has done in his career, he puts all of the praise on his teammates and those around him with a humble nature that comes across instantly.

That's been reflected in many of his quotes, including one from after the Peach Bowl when Mendoza and the Hoosiers downed the Oregon Ducks, 56-22. When asked about his performance, the Indiana quarterback appeared to shake his head for being specifically recognized, despite him being one of the team's most impactful players.

"I would say that it was a great team effort. There were a lot of contested catches," Mendoza told me following the game.

"Charlie Becker's touchdown, Elijah Sarratt, you know, making catches all over the field. Omar Cooper and EJ, they were getting open all game and to be able to throw with those guys, I'm like a point guard out there. I'm throwing to the open guy, and they shoot the threes."

He also was very transparent and self-aware, highlighting what he believes he still needs to work on as a quarterback.

"Although the scoreboard does not show it, there is still a lot I have to improve on, like footwork," Mendoza continued. "There was a protection check I missed, and there's a ball that I want to have back.

So, especially with more eyes on him than any other player in the draft, why would he want that type of attention? In reality, this move aligns with everything Mendoza has done, and as weird as it sounds, it would almost be more intriguing to watch him relish in the attention and bright lights in Pittsburgh.

This article originally appeared on Draft Wire: Mendoza’s draft decision reflects his humble mindset