In just a year’s time, Fernando Mendoza has drastically elevated his game from being a competent starting quarterback at Cal to being the Heisman Trophy winner and projected top overall pick in the NFL draft at Indiana.
That type of production has also led the Miami native to be the starting quarterback for the national championship game for the Hoosiers, the first-ever Indiana quarterback to start in the final game of the college football season.
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The Hoosiers have kicked off against No. 10 Miami in the 2026 College Football Playoff national championship inside Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
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Mendoza’s appearance in the national championship game appears to have drawn in one of the best to ever play the position in the NFL, Tom Brady, who is a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders on top of being Fox’s top NFL analyst. The Raiders, of course, have the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, so Monday’s game is Mendoza’s opportunity to make a strong impression on Brady and the Raiders.
The Hoosiers quarterback has been playing some of his best football in the last few weeks, as in CFP games against Alabama and Oregon, Mendoza has thrown only five incomplete passes (31-for-36 in combined passing attempts) and thrown for 369 yards and eight touchdown passes.
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Here’s what to know on why Brady’s appearance at the national championship game:
REQUIRED READING: College Football Playoff national championship game, Indiana vs. Miami: Live updates, score, highlights today
Is Fernando Mendoza going to the Raiders?
While it leans that way, as the Raiders hold the rights to the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft and Mendoza is the consensus No. 1 pick by NFL draft analysts, there is still a lot unknown on the situation.
The Hoosiers quarterback has not declared yet for the NFL draft as well.
Why is Tom Brady at national championship game?
Brady is a football guy, so like many other football fanatics, he’s at Hard Rock Stadium watching two of the best teams in college football fight against each other.
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But seriously, if you look between the lines, the reason for Brady’s appearance — along with the Raiders’ majority owner Mark Davis — in Miami is to watch Mendoza, who they are projected to make their next franchise quarterback with the top overall pick in April’s NFL draft.
Brady bought a 5% minority ownership stake in the Raiders in October of 2024, and likely will influence the decision of how the NFL franchises use their top overall pick — in addition to 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 overall by many NFL draft analysts. He is ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.’s No. 1 overall-ranked prospect and No. 1 overall-ranked quarterback in this year’s draft class.
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Here’s what USA TODAY Sports’ Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz said on Mendoza to the Raiders in his latest NFL mock draft:
“A few weeks ago, he seemed to be the clear-cut front-runner to be the No. 1 pick. At this point, it seems safe to say the rest of the race can be called off. Three months out from the first round kicking off, Mendoza is basically without competition for the top spot. The Raiders might not tip their hand and could even consider any exploratory talks other teams might have about obtaining the selection. But it seems unfathomable that Tom Brady and the rest of the Silver and Black brass would bypass such a sound signal-caller who checks off almost every box when it comes to operating within structure.”
This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Why is Tom Brady at national championship game? Raiders watching Fernando Mendoza