Fernando Mendoza says NFL team executive suggested he get arrested

Former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the top projected pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, said a team executive suggested he be held so he could slide to that team’s selection in the upcoming draft.

Mendoza is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick of the Las Vegas Raiders, but he is still in talks with other teams in the NFL.

Mendoza revealed in an interview with CBS Sports on Friday that when asked about the strangest question he has received from teams in the NFL, a team suggested he be arrested.

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“It was like, ‘Hey, maybe you should get arrested,’ and I was a little confused, but then I was like slide… so you can slide in the draft,” he said.

Mendoza declined to say which team made the suggestion.

Indiana Hoosiers quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza (15) and Alberto Mendoza (16) walk on the field to warm up before the 2025 Big Ten Conference Championship game against the Ohio State Buckeyes on December 6, 2025 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. (Aaron Doster-Imagn Images)

“So hopefully I don’t get arrested,” he added.

Mendoza is this year’s hottest quarterback prospect after leading Indiana to the first 16-0 season in modern college football history, winning the national championship and the Heisman Trophy.

He finished the 2025 season with 3,535 passing yards, 41 touchdowns and just six interceptions.

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Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza passes against Miami during the first half of the College Football Playoff national championship game on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

With Oregon quarterback Dante Moore returning to college for another year, the Raiders, as well as other teams in need of a quarterback, may not find many answers in this draft.

Other prospects like Ty Simpson, Drew Allar, and Garrett Nussmeier are projected to be lower-tier prospects compared to Mendoza.

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