2026 QB Spotlight: Fernando Mendoza

Kevin looks at a potential 2026 QB1 Fernando Mendoza

Fernando Mendoza’s rise has been anything but conventional. Once a lightly recruited prospect with just one FBS offer coming out of high school courtesy of Cal, Mendoza has now positioned himself as a potential first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. After stepping into the starting role at Cal during his redshirt freshman year, he threw for over 3,000 yards in 2024 and helped lead the Bears to a bowl game in their first season as members of the ACC.

Now, he’s on the move. Following the departure of Kurtis Rourke, who helped Indiana to an 11-2 season and was drafted by the 49ers, Mendoza heads to Bloomington to take over the reins. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound signal-caller was one of the top quarterbacks in the portal, with Georgia and Missouri also showing interest before he ultimately committed to Indiana.

Mendoza’s production was solid last year. He ranked third in the ACC with 3,004 passing yards, added 18 total touchdowns, and completed 69% of his passes all while dealing with constant pressure and getting sacked a nation-high 41 times. Still, he showed resilience and poise in key moments. He put up a pair of touchdowns in a win at Auburn, nearly upset Miami with 285 yards and two scores, and delivered a 98-yard game-winning drive against Stanford in his final outing with Cal.

While the tools are clear prototypical size, a strong arm, and enough athleticism to extend plays, the question now shifts to whether his skillset can truly take the next step in Indiana’s system. With two years of eligibility remaining, the buzz around him as a potential QB1 in this class is growing louder. But is that warranted based on his time at Cal?

In this breakdown, we’ll examine the tape and analyze Indiana's offensive scheme to determine how well it aligns with Mendoza’s traits and what kind of leap we can realistically expect heading into 2025.

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Coaching and Scheme

Indiana’s offense is in good hands with Mike Shanahan returning for his second year as offensive coordinator under head coach Curt Cignetti. After a dominant first season in Bloomington, Shanahan helped turn Indiana into a legitimate playoff contender and oversaw one of the most productive units in the country.

Last year, the Hoosiers set school records in touchdowns (70), points scored (537), and 40-point games (8). They finished second nationally in scoring offense and passing efficiency, and cracked the top 10 in red zone success. The offense was balanced, tying a program record with 37 rushing touchdowns while also throwing for 33 scores, the second-most in school history.

Quarterback Kurtis Rourke thrived in Shanahan’s system, tossing 29 touchdowns and leading Indiana to 11 wins and a trip to the College Football Playoff. Two running backs hit double-digit scores, and wide receiver Elijah Sarratt broke into the top ten in school history for both yardage and touchdowns in a season.

Shanahan’s track record goes beyond just one year at Indiana. At James Madison, he helped develop several all-conference wide receivers and quarterbacks, including Sun Belt Player of the Year Jordan McCloud. His offenses consistently ranked inside the top 30 in total offense, scoring, and explosive plays. The guy knows how to maximize talent.

Now, pairing that offensive mind with a quarterback like Mendoza gives this staff a new set of tools to play with. Mendoza brings a mobility element that Indiana didn’t have with Rourke, who mainly stayed inside the pocket due to a knee injury. According to Cignetti, less than 1% of Rourke’s throws came outside the pocket, a stat that should flip dramatically with Mendoza at the helm.

The coaching staff is already acknowledging the need to tailor the offense around Mendoza’s dual-threat ability. Cignetti hinted that even without designed QB runs, Mendoza’s natural instincts to scramble and make plays on the move will add a new layer to this scheme. He had at least one 15-yard run in over half of Cal’s games last season, including a 50-yard sprint against Stanford.

What separates this coaching staff is their willingness to adapt. Cignetti isn’t married to one system. He builds around the quarterback’s strengths and adjusts based on the personnel a rarity in college football. Last year, Indiana leaned into quick passes and a pocket-based attack to suit Rourke’s limitations. This season, expect some of those same concepts, but with more movement, misdirection, and quarterback-driven plays to match Mendoza’s mobility.

It’s a quarterback-friendly system, and Cignetti has proven he can develop talent at the position. The big question is whether this staff can take that next step and elevate a quarterback into Round 1 territory — something they haven’t done yet.

Next, we’ll examine Indiana’s 2025 offensive outlook and what changes we expect with Mendoza under center.

2025 Offensive Outlook

With Fernando Mendoza stepping in as QB1, the pieces around him will be crucial to his development and success. While Indiana loses some key veterans from last year’s playoff team, the staff did a solid job reloading through the transfer portal. Let’s take a position-by-position look at what the Hoosiers are working with in 2025.

Running Back Room

Indiana loses its one-two punch from last year in Justice Ellison and Ty Son Lawton, but they made a smart move grabbing Maryland transfer Roman Hemby. Hemby isn’t coming off his best season, just 607 rushing yards on 4.5 YPC, but he’s a capable all-purpose back with a solid receiving profile (40 receptions for 273 yards). His best game of 2024 actually came against Indiana, rscoring a 75-yard touchdown as part of a 117-yard day.

UAB transfer Lee Beebe Jr. might push for a near-equal share of touches. He brings more juice on the ground (884 yards, 5.3 YPC) and is also a proven pass catcher (30 receptions). This could shape up as a rotation with Hemby as the lead and Beebe offering a more explosive complement.

Kaelon Black returns and showed efficiency when he got opportunities (5.5 YPC), but his usage dropped as the season went on. Young guys like Khobie Martin and Kyler Kropp are in the mix for depth snaps.

Wide Receivers

Mendoza will have some weapons on the outside, starting with WR1 Elijah Sarratt. He was Rourke’s top target in 2024 and will now try to build similar chemistry with Mendoza. Sarratt put up 957 yards and eight touchdowns on just 53 receptions, showing he can stretch the field and win vertically.

Omar Cooper Jr. offers more big-play potential. He averaged over 21 yards per catch and scored seven touchdowns on only 28 receptions. His role as the team’s top vertical threat should remain intact.

Indiana lost a chunk of its depth at the position with Myles Price, Ke’Shawn Williams, Miles Cross, and Andison Coby all moving on. But they’ve restocked through the portal. Appalachian State’s Makai Jackson brings some proven production (745 yards, 5 TDs), and Tyler Morris, formerly of Michigan, adds another layer (23 catches, 248 yards). Look for both to rotate heavily as the third option.

E.J. Williams is back after a midseason transfer stint, and Charlie Becker could get a real shot to carve out a role this year.

Tight Ends

Zach Horton is gone, and while he wasn’t a volume target (21 catches), he was key to the blocking scheme. Indiana added a pair of experienced transfers to replace him: Holden Staes (Tennessee/Notre Dame) and Riley Nowakowski (Wisconsin).

Staes offers the most as a pass-catcher. He had 15 receptions for 131 yards in 2024, while Nowakowski is more of a traditional in-line blocker. Between the two, Indiana has a decent mix of utility, depending on the situation. Depth options James Bomba and Sam West are still in the building, but saw limited action last season.

Offensive Line

At tackle, Carter Smith anchors the blind side. He was one of the better pass blockers in the country last season, grading out at 79.4 via PFF. On the other side, Indiana brought in Ohio State transfer Zen Michalski to replace Trey Wedig. Michalski struggled in pass protection (33.2 PFF grade) but was more effective as a run blocker (73.8). If he can clean up his technique, the talent is there.

Kahlil Benson also returns after a one-year stop at Colorado. He played right tackle for Indiana back in 2023, but likely slides back to guard or center this year.

Backup tackles like Cooper Jones and Austin Barrett both saw limited action and could push for rotational snaps.

At guard, Drew Evans is expected back from an Achilles injury and brings stability on the left side when healthy (81.7 pass block grade). On the right side, Bray Lynch returns after starting most of the season. Benson might also factor in here if the staff feels he’s a better fit inside.

While Indiana might not be as stacked as last year’s squad, there’s plenty of experience, incoming talent, and flexibility on the roster. The offensive staff has built a system that adapts to its personnel, and Mendoza is stepping into an environment where the pieces are good enough for him to make a real jump.

Next, we’ll take a closer look at Mendoza’s tape, how his traits translate to this offense, and whether he has the tools to justify the first-round buzz.

Projected 2025 Depth Chart (Offense)

• QB1: Fernando Mendoza

• RB1: Roman Hemby

• RB2: Kaelon Black

• WR1: Elijah Sarratt

• WR2: Omar Cooper Jr.

• WR3: E.J. Williams Jr.

• WR4: Makai Jackson

• TE1: Holden Staes

Scouting Report

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