Fernando Mendoza doesn’t plan to throw at the NFL Scouting Combine, which runs February 23 through March 2 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Although he will still attend interviews, the throwing session comes later during Indiana’s Pro Day. And that’s where the national champion QB will make his case as the projected No. 1 overall pick to the Las Vegas Raiders. 

On February 10, ESPN’s Field Yates reported that Indiana’s Pro Day is set for April 1. Fernando Mendoza will throw there at home with his guys. A large NFL presence is expected in Bloomington, which tells you how little concern teams have about missing him in Indy. But there are several Hoosiers to pay attention to. After all, this is an undefeated 16-0 national championship team. 

Fernando Mendoza hasn’t exactly been keeping the reason he opted for Pro Day under wraps. On The Pat McAfee Show earlier this month, the 23-year-old Heisman winner laid it plainly that throwing at the Combine means getting a chance to work with unfamiliar receivers on a rushed schedule. Mendoza prefers using Pro Day to help his Indiana teammates who require exposure for the final time before the draft. 

“At the combine, you’re throwing to different receivers; it’s a whole different thing,” he said. “I want to make sure I give my guys the best chance. I want to throw at pro day with my guys, with my running backs, and be there with the boys. The combine, I don’t think throwing’s going to be a priority just because it’s such a quick turnaround.”

He’ll be throwing to familiar targets like WRs Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt, both of whom are projected as Day 2 picks and could benefit from the exposure. CB D’Angelo Ponds is also showing up in first- and second-round mock drafts. By throwing to them in Bloomington, Mendoza is doing his teammates a favor, a move that speaks volumes about his character and leadership.

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The decision also works in Mendoza’s favor. He’s coming off a perfect 2025 season with 41 TD passes, 3,535 yards, a 72.0 completion rate, and only six interceptions, so so he has little to prove at the combine. His draft destination seems all but certain.

Las Vegas is preparing for Fernando Mendoza 

The Las Vegas Raiders had majority owner Mark Davis, minority owner Tom Brady, and GM John Spytek on Indiana’s sideline for the Hoosiers’ 27-21 win over Miami in the national title game. Davis’s post-game comments clearly indicated that his franchise is locked in on Mendoza after his CFP National Championship win.

“He looked good!” he later said of Fernando Mendoza’s performance. “He won the national championship, so that’s a good thing.” 

Las Vegas just introduced Klint Kubiak as head coach, and Davis openly acknowledged that holding the No. 1 pick influenced the hire. 

“Having the 1st pick in the draft and understanding there’s a good chance we go on the offensive side of the ball,” he said. “We’d want a young, offensive mind that could grow with somebody.”

Davis still tried to keep his options technically open. When asked directly if Fernando Mendoza would be the pick, he said, “It’s possible.” 

Fernando Mendoza hit every talking point during the interview. He told Pat McAfee he’s focused on the draft process, praising Kubiak’s work in developing Sam Darnold, and even called Tom Brady “a huge football idol of mine.” It looked like he had undergone standard media training.

Meanwhile, if you’re the Raiders, holding the No. 1 pick with a QB room that’s been a mess for years, your homework is already done. Picking up Mendoza could be a defining call for the franchise, which will shape it for the next decade.