In just one year, Fernando Mendoza’s game has drastically improved, going from a competent starting quarterback at Cal to a Heisman Trophy winner and projected No. 1 pick in the NFL draft out of Indiana.
This type of performance also made the Miami native the starting quarterback for the Hoosiers in the national championship game and the first quarterback in Indiana history to start the final game of a college football season.
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The 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship takes place at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, pitting the Indians against No. 10 Miami.
Must read: Fernando Mendoza is from Miami. Why didn’t he play for Cairns? Revisiting Indiana’s quarterback recruiting
Mendoza’s presence in the national championship game seemed to attract one of the best players the NFL has ever seen, Tom Brady, who in addition to being a top NFL analyst on Fox is also a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. Of course, the Raiders have the No. 1 pick in the draft, so Monday’s game is Mendoza’s chance to impress Brady and the Raiders.
The Hoosiers quarterback has played some of his best football the past few weeks, such as in CFP games against Alabama and Oregon State, where Mendoza threw just five incomplete passes (31 of 36 total pass attempts) for 369 yards and eight touchdown passes.
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Here’s why Brady showed up to the national championship game:
Must read: College Football Playoff National Championship Game, Indiana vs. Miami: Today’s live updates, scores, highlights
Will Fernando Mendoza go to Raiders?
While things are leaning toward that, there are still a lot of unknowns in the situation since the Raiders own the rights to the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft and Mendoza is the consensus No. 1 pick among NFL draft analysts.
The Indians quarterback has not declared for the NFL draft.
Why is Tom Brady playing in the national championship game?
Brady is a football fan, so like many other football fanatics, he was at Hard Rock Stadium watching two of the best teams in college football take on each other.
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But seriously, if you read between the lines, the reason Brady was in Miami with Raiders majority owner Mark Davis was to watch Mendoza, who they expect will be their next quarterback with the No. 1 pick in April’s NFL draft.
Brady purchased a 5% minority stake in the Raiders in October 2024, which could impact NFL teams’ decisions on how to use their No. 1 pick and who they hire to replace Pete Carroll, who was fired after one season.
Fernando Mendoza NFL Mock Draft
Mendoza is currently projected as the No. 1 pick by many NFL draft analysts. He is the No. 1 overall prospect and No. 1 overall quarterback in this year’s draft according to ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.
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Here’s what USA TODAY Sports’ Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz had to say about Mendoza against the Raiders in his latest NFL mock draft:
“A few weeks ago, he appeared to be the clear front-runner for the No. 1 pick. At this point, it seems safe to say that the remaining games can be scrapped. With three months until the first round begins, Mendoza is essentially out of contention for the No. 1 pick. The Raiders likely won’t make a move, or even consider any exploratory talks other teams might have about acquiring the pick. But Tom Brady and the rest of the Silver and Black front office seem to have trouble wrapping their heads around such a vocal signal-caller who checks just about every box when it comes to operating within the structure.”
This article originally appeared in The Herald: Why is Tom Brady showing up to the national championship game? Raiders watch Fernando Mendoza