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Following his National Championship and Heisman Trophy-winning season, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has added another accolade to his name: No. 1 overall draft pick. After months of speculation, the Las Vegas Raiders have selected Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Mendoza became Indiana’s first overall pick since running back Corbett “Corby” Davis in 1938, as well as the Big Ten’s first overall quarterback since Illinois’ Jeff George in 1990. Mendoza joins a Raiders team with plenty of young talent. His decorated résumé is bound to make him the Raiders’ franchise quarterback, as he has the likes of tight end Brock Bowers, running back Ashton Jeanty and an offensive-minded head coach in Klint Kubiak. FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt offered insight into what makes Mendoza a compelling quarterback in his draft class, and why he ultimately went No. 1 overall. “This has to do with his play and the value of his position. Mendoza’s 6-5 and 225 pounds, so he checks that box. Did he play great in crunch time? Yes. It’s not enough for a quarterback to be good on base downs. You better be locked up and play great when your best is needed. That’s exactly what Fernando Mendoza did in every single big moment last season, and almost all of them were away from him,” Klatt wrote in his Top 50 NFL Prospects. Mendoza finished the season with 3,553 passing yards, 48 total touchdowns, six interceptions and a 90.3 quarterback rating, which led all quarterbacks from last season. Mendoza is also decorated with awards, including a national title win, Heisman Trophy award win, Davey O’Brien award, Walter Camp award and AP Player of the Year. He also guided the Hoosiers to their first undefeated season in program history, highlighted by several clutch performances. None was bigger than the 27–24 win over Penn State, where he hit Omar Cooper Jr. for the game‑winner with 41 seconds left to move Indiana to 10–0. And in the National Championship against Miami, his fourth‑down, 13‑yard touchdown run became the play that sealed his legacy. For FOX Sports’ Rob Rang, who listed Mendoza as his fourth overall NFL Draft prospect, emphasized he may not be the most dual-threat player on paper, but he’s still the tried and true best quarterback in his class. “Mendoza doesn’t possess the strongest arm of this class, nor is he the most dynamic running threat. He is, however, the consensus top quarterback, offering an exceptional blend of anticipation, accuracy and poise to project as a longtime, high-level NFL starter,” Rang wrote in his Top 150 NFL Prospects. Following a 3-14 record, the Raiders are in desperate need of fresh players to get back in the win column. With nine total picks following No. 1, Las Vegas will look to add another receiving option next to Bowers and more strength on the defense, especially on the interior and in the secondary. The Raiders have picks 36, 67, 102, 117, 134, 175, 185, 209 and 219.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Ohio State is expected to dominate the first round of the NFL Draft, but safety Caleb Downs could prove to be the biggest wildcard of all. The safety position is often one of the most difficult to evaluate and value on draft night, much like running back on the offensive side. If anyone understands the kind of talent Downs can bring to the next level, it’s FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt. He joined “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” on Thursday afternoon to preview the draft and believes Downs could be one of the safest picks in the class. Klatt was even more bullish on his upside, comparing Downs to a Hall of Fame safety. “One of the comps that I like, but people shy away from, is Ed Reed,” Klatt said. “The reason is because it’s one thing to be smart, do your job on the field and then kill it on the whiteboard and really understand football. It’s another thing to allow those instincts, intelligence and preparation to show up on the field.” Downs is viewed as a player with tremendous upside, especially given his experience in three different defensive schemes throughout his time in college. He began his true freshman year at Alabama before transferring to Ohio State in 2024, where he won a national championship. “They revamped the entire defense specifically for Caleb to put him in the middle of the field and allow his instincts to be more impactful,” Klatt said. “This guy with this amount of instincts and this IQ has played in three different defenses in three years and is still the smartest player on the field.” Klatt said what separates Downs from other prospects in the class is his ability to adapt quickly and still dominate at every stop. “This guy had 100 tackles at Alabama for Nick Saban and goes to Ohio State and immediately became the best defender on the field for a national championship team,” Klatt said. “They built the entire schematics around him.” Downs is coming off a strong junior season with the Buckeyes, recording 68 total tackles, 45 of them solo, along with two interceptions. He also forced two fumbles and added a sack, showcasing his versatility all over the field. His production and range only reinforced his reputation as one of the most instinctive defensive backs in the country, consistently impacting games in multiple phases. “He can line up anywhere but then play any position from any part of the field, very similar to Reed,” Klatt said. “That’s something that Caleb can do and that disguise aspect of his game, I think, is highly valuable.” For NFL teams looking for a modern defensive chess piece, Downs may be as close to a sure thing as this draft class offers.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports