A new hint about Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza's NFL future has been revealed.
The Indiana Hoosiers have a handful of players from their national championship winning football team ready to be selected in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.
At the top of the class is quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Fresh off of winning the Heisman Trophy and a championship to go along with it, Mendoza is widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. That pick currently belongs to the Las Vegas Raiders.
On Friday, another hint was revealed about Mendoza's NFL future. The Raiders made a move that makes it very clear they're planning to draft Mendoza at No. 1 overall.
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter has reported that Las Vegas plans to release veteran quarterback Geno Smith. He was the starter for the Raiders during the 2025 NFL season.
There is still a chance that the team could find a trade partner for him, but if they don't their plan is to release him to free agency.
"ESPN sources: the Raiders are releasing last season’s starting quarterback Geno Smith, barring a trade before the start of the new league year," Schefter wrote on X. "By releasing Smith, the Raiders will open up $8M in salary cap space while taking on $18.5M in dead money."
The Athletic's Diannis Russini has also reported that Las Vegas would prefer to not start Mendoza right off the bat. The Raiders are expected to look into veteran quarterback options to give Mendoza time to learn on the sideline.
"If the Raiders continue to lean toward drafting Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in April’s draft, their preference is to not start him immediately," Russini wrote. "Look for Las Vegas to bring a veteran QB in free agency."
Regardless of whether or not he plays to begin the 2026 season, Mendoza will be the long-term franchise quarterback in Las Vegas. Assuming no major shocking changes happen between now and the start of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Raiders are going to be taking the Indiana quarterback.
It will be interesting to see what the future has in store for Mendoza. He was an absolute superstar for the Hoosiers, but will now look to have that impact at the NFL level for Las Vegas.