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College Football Playoff

Fernando Mendoza

Indiana QB and CFP National Champion Fernando Mendoza Selected First Overall in 2026 NFL Draft

4/23/2026 7:12:00 PM


Surrounded by family and friends in his hometown of Miami, Florida, Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders as the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Mendoza becomes the fifth No. 1 pick in the last seven NFL Drafts to have previously captured a CFP National Championship Title, joining the likes of LSU's Joe Burrow, Clemson's Trevor Lawrence, Georgia's Travon Walker and Alabama's Bryce Young. Mendoza and Burrow are the only No. 1 draft selections in the CFP era to have secured the Heisman Trophy and the CFP title, and Mendoza is the fourth (Burrow, Lawrence, Young) to have been named CFP National Championship Offensive Player of the Game.

The No. 1 overall pick in eight of the previous 12 NFL Drafts, including seven of the past nine, has made at least one appearance in the College Football Playoff.

Overall, 22 CFP participants landed themselves on NFL rosters after the first round of the 2026 draft, the most in a single Day 1 including each of the top five picks and eight of the first 10.

Selections will continue with Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday, April 24, and Rounds 4-7 on Saturday, April 25.

CFP IN THE 2026 NFL DRAFT: FIRST ROUND SELECTIONS
NAME TEAM POS. PICK NFL CLUB
Fernando Mendoza Indiana QB 1 Las Vegas Raiders
David Bailey Texas Tech EDGE 2 New York Jets
Jeremiyah Love Notre Dame RB 3 Arizona Cardinals
Carnell Tate Ohio State WR 4 Tennessee Titans
Arvell Reese Ohio State LB 5 New York Giants
Sonny Styles Ohio State LB 7 Washington Commanders
Jordyn Tyson Arizona State WR 8 New Orleans Saints
Francis Mauigoa Miami OT 10 New York Giants
Caleb Downs Ohio State S 11 Dallas Cowboys
Kadyn Proctor Alabama OT 12 Miami Dolphins
Ty Simpson Alabama QB 13 Los Angeles Rams
Olaivavega Ioane Penn State OG 14 Baltimore Ravens
Rueben Bain Jr. Miami EDGE 15 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Kenyon Sadiq Oregon TE 16 New York Jets
Blake Miller Clemson OT 17 Detroit Lions
Monroe Freeling Georgia OT 19 Carolina Panthers
Max Iheanachor Arizona State OT 21 Pittsburgh Steelers
Akheem Mesidor Miami EDGE 22 Los Angeles Chargers
KC Concepcion Texas A&M WR 24 Cleveland Browns
Dillon Thieneman Oregon S 25 Chicago Bears
Peter Woods Clemson DT 29 Kansas City Chiefs
Omar Cooper Jr. Indiana WR 30 New York Jets
Jadarian Price Notre Dame RB 32 Seattle Seahawks
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