Fernando Mendoza, 2025 Heisman Trophy winner.Credit: Todd Van Emst/Heisman Trust
Mendoza Hits The NFL Combine, But He’ll Keep His Throwing Arm Holstered
No quarterback in the past 100 years has played more games in one season for coaches and scouts to slice, dice and analyze than 2025 Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, who led Indiana to a perfect 16-0 season en route to a national title.
That doesn’t mean he won’t perform for scouts ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. He just is not going to do it at this week’s 2026 NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
Mendoza is among 319 aspiring football players who will be at Lucas Oil Stadium this week for the combine that runs through March 2, meeting with teams. He’ll just be keeping his throwing arm off-limits. For now.
Mendoza, expected to be taken first in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders, is planning to throw for scouts at the Hoosiers’ Pro Day on April 1.
Brand new Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach Klint Kubiak, in a story on the Raiders web site, said this about Mendoza: “Excited to keep learning about him and it’s not just me, it’s our entire coaching staff. I want all of our coaches to get involved, especially at that position. I want everybody’s input, but obviously he’s been successful. He had a lot of success last year. He won a national championship and that’s what you want. You want a winner.”
There will be other Heisman representation, besides Mendoza, at this year’s combine in the way of 2025 finalists and other Top 10 finishers.
Runner-up Diego Pavia of Vanderbilt is among the 15 quarterbacks on site this week, as is 10th-place Haynes King from Georgia Tech. Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love, who finished behind Pavia in third, is among some 20 running backs participating.
Fifth-place Heisman finisher Jacob Rodriguez of Texas Tech will work out with the linebackers while ninth-place finisher Caleb Downs of Ohio State will work out with the safeties. Four of the 2025 Heisman Top 10 will return to NCAA action in 2026 in Buckeye QB Julian Sayin and his wide receiver teammate Jeremiah Smith as well as Georgia QB Gunner Stockton and Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss.
