The Manning Award was built for seasons like Fernando Mendoza’s. 22 years ago, the Allstate Sugar Bowl created the honor to celebrate QB excellence tied to the Manning name, with one key twist. Postseason performance matters. That alone made this a Mendoza award even before the announcement. 

Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza led Indiana to its first national championship with an unrivaled three-game CFP run. Alabama was dismantled 38-3. Oregon followed at 56-22. Miami pushed back, but the Hoosiers closed the door in a 27-21 title win. And yet, rewind to last summer, and his name wasn’t even on the preseason watch list. But by January, the gap between perception and reality had vanished. 

Arch Manning’s Hall of Fame grandfather didn’t pretend this was a tight race. Speaking on a videoconference with Fernando Mendoza, Archie Manning didn’t hold back his admiration.

“We had a great group of quarterbacks in college football this year,” he said. “I’d like to tell you this was close, but it wasn’t. Fernando had one of the greatest seasons any collegiate quarterback has ever had.” 

Fernando Mendoza’s resume speaks for itself. He became the first Indiana QB to win the Manning Award since its inception in 2004. He was a 2025 All-American, Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, Heisman Trophy winner, and CFP Offensive MVP.

Statistically, he separated himself from the field, leading the FBS with 41 passing TDs and topping the P4 with 48 total TDs, passing and rushing combined. He finished with just six interceptions. He was the only FBS QB to post six games with at least four TD passes and zero picks. They’re consistency markers across an entire undefeated season.

When the postseason arrived, Fernando Mendoza got even cleaner. In three CFP games, he completed 75 percent of his passes, averaged 185 yards per game, and threw eight TDs without a single interception. Against the best defenses in the country, he reduced risk instead of forcing hero ball. And to think he wasn’t even on the Manning Award preseason watch list that featured 27 QBs in August 2025. 

It just took one season for Archie Manning and his family to change the way they see Fernando Mendoza. 

“We all just kind of fell for Fernando right away,” he said, also pointing to the QB’s personality, how he interacted with other QBs, and how he coached younger players at the Manning Passing Academy. 

“Getting to know Fernando, recognizing his work ethic, recognizing his desire and what he wants to do, I think he’ll make a great transition to the next level,” he said. “Y’all can see why we’re so excited about recognizing him.”

Fernando Mendoza called that camp “one of the greatest experiences of his life,” especially sharing it with his younger brother Alberto, both of them growing up idolizing Peyton and Eli Manning. One early moment stood out: he executed a play-action drop under center for the first time since middle school and nailed a difficult throw, drawing immediate respect from peers.

That relationship matters because Manning Award winners are measured against a standard set by Archie, Peyton, and Eli themselves. They have over 25,000 combined college passing yards, 201 TDs, four bowl MVPs, and three No. 1 overall draft picks across generations. Fernando Mendoza fit the lineage. But with that chapter closed, the story now tilts forward.

Fernando Mendoza is the 2026 No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick

There’s no doubt about it. League consensus points to the Las Vegas Raiders holding the cards. Armed with the No. 1 overall pick after a 3-14 season, they are widely expected to reset at QB after Geno Smith’s dismal season. Fernando Mendoza is viewed as the clear top option, and it’s simply a matter of whether they turn the card in.

Former Pro Bowl QB Robert Griffin III has already made his recommendation. On his Outta Pocket podcast, he called Fernando Mendoza “an anti-chaos quarterback,” a label that cuts through draft-season noise. 

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“There is no such thing as a safe number one overall pick,” he said. “Lets be very clear about that… Mendoza isn’t just a talent. He’s an anti-chaos quarterback.”

RGIII emphasized ball security paired with controlled aggression, praising Fernando Mendoza for attacking defenses without drifting into reckless decision-making. His verdict was that this NFL-bound QB is “a franchise fixer, not just a passer.”

Fernando Mendoza’s college season ended on January 19. He will attend the NFL Scouting Combine and Indiana’s Pro Day as he prepares for the 2026 NFL Draft. The evaluation cycle is just beginning. But after a year like this, the debate feels largely settled.