The 2026 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, and Wednesday's pro day at Indiana allowed players to make one last impression on NFL coaches, scouts, and front office personnel. A total of 23 Hoosiers participating in the pro day festivities at Mellancamp Pvailion in Bloomington, and the group was headlined by Heisman Trophy-winning QB Fernando Mendoza.
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Mendoza has been in the news a lot lately. Not just because he is widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, but because of some flaming hot takes doubting his ability from ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky.
However, Mendoza is widely expected to be the top overall selection when the draft rolls around on April 23 in Pittsburgh, and his sensational pro day performance all but seals that fate.
Fernando Mendoza puts on a show at Indiana's pro day
Mendoza was dialed in for IU's pro day. With members of every NFL organization present, as well as 10 from the Las Vegas Raiders, Mendoza completed 53 of his 56 pass attempts, with two of those incompletions coming from drops.
The action was fast and furious, as Mendoza threw 56 passes in just 20 minutes with minimal breaks in-between reps. He displayed elite accuracy, strong arm strength, and looked every bit like a franchise QB in the NFL.
Fernando Mendoza at Indiana’s Pro Day 🎯
— Nick Walters (@nickwalt) April 1, 2026
• Completed 53 of 56 passes with two drops
• Threw 56 passes in 20 minutes with two very short breaks
• Showed off arm strength with passes that traveled 50-60 yards
• Displayed pinpoint accuracy
• 10 #Raiders staffers there to watch pic.twitter.com/XGfZV9M7AX
Former Missouri QB and 14-year NFL veteran Chase Daniel agrees. Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday, Daniel praised Mendoza's pro day performance and stated that he has little doubt about the Hoosier gunslinger going No. 1 overall.
"Fernando Mendoza is the clear number one pick and he is a franchise guy," said Daniel. "There's a lot of things that you can't teach. It's the intangibles. It's the heart, the poise, the interviews, the guys love him."
"Fernando Mendoza is the clear number one pick and he is a franchise guy..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 1, 2026
He has the intangibles that you just can't teach"@ChaseDaniel #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/isV3M5LTFM
ESPN analyst Theo Riddick agrees with Daniel, and also had plenty of praise for Mendoza's intangibles.
“It’s really his presence,” Riddick said on NFL Live on Wednesday. “He comes off, and a lot of it is the unspoken, intangible part of the evaluation that you get and that really jumps out at you when you are around this young man."
NFL Draft set for April 23
At this point, not seeing Mendoza go No. 1 overall to the Raiders would be a shocking turn of events.
The Raiders have already started building their roster around a franchise QB like Mendoza, and first year head coach Klint Kubiak was in attendance to watch Mendoza throw on Wednesday.
The NFL Draft gets going on Thursday, April 23 and rund through Saturday, April 25. Indiana's annual spring game is also set for April 23, setting up a big day for the Indiana football program.