Projected top pick Fernando Mendoza reveals why he’s skipping NFL Draft

Heisman Trophy victor and projected apical prime Fernando Mendoza revealed wherefore helium won’t beryllium attending the NFL Draft successful Pittsburgh connected Thursday night.

Mendoza’s mother, Elsa, has lived with aggregate sclerosis for implicit 15 years and is presently utilizing a wheelchair. The 22-year-old said his parents wanted to bash the draught astatine home.

"My ma truly wanted to bash it astatine home, and truthful did my parents. It’s a batch easier for us, particularly with the household situation. I’m going to person to hop connected a level (in) the greeting anyways. For that travel, it volition beryllium a batch easier to enactment astatine home," Mendoza said Monday during an quality connected "The Rich Eisen Show."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Indiana Hoosiers backmost Fernando Mendoza looks connected during warmups earlier the College Football Playoff National Championship crippled against the Miami Hurricanes astatine Hard Rock Stadium successful Miami Gardens, Florida, connected Jan. 19, 2026. (Sam Navarro/Imagn Images)

The past clip the apical projected backmost did not be the NFL Draft was successful 2021, erstwhile Trevor Lawrence was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Mendoza said that due to the fact that helium is staying astatine home, helium volition beryllium capable to person much radical who helped him connected his travel stock the experience.

"I wanted to enactment and marque the representation with everybody who poured into my shot journey," Mendoza said. "Mentors, coaches, family, friends, we privation to stock that representation with each of them is going to beryllium the champion representation that I could make, alternatively than bounds it to 10 oregon 12 radical successful Pittsburgh."

While Mendoza volition enactment astatine home, helium said that determination volition beryllium cameras astatine location to drawback his absorption for erstwhile the Las Vegas Raiders apt instrumentality him with the apical pick.

GREG OLSEN ON TRAVIS KELCE RETURNING TO CHIEFS FOR 14TH SEASON: 'LEAGUE IS BETTER OFF WITH HIM PLAYING'

Indiana backmost Fernando Mendoza looks to propulsion a walk during the school's NFL pro time successful Bloomington, Indiana, connected April 1, 2026. (AJ Mast/AP Photo)

"I inactive privation to beryllium the champion league spouse I tin go and marque definite that determination is however ever galore camera arsenic ESPN wants there," Mendoza said. "Whatever they request from me, I volition do. However, I deliberation it is precise important to commencement disconnected this travel with everyone who has got maine to this point."

While helium won’t beryllium successful Pittsburgh, helium did telephone it a large venue.

"Pittsburgh is simply a large accidental and large venue, and I’m truly excited to spot each the guys locomotion crossed the signifier connected Thursday night," Mendoza said.vMendoza has been projected to beryllium the No. 1 enactment this twelvemonth aft starring connected an undefeated Indiana squad that won the nationalist championship.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Indiana backmost Fernando Mendoza passes against Miami during the archetypal fractional of the College Football Playoff nationalist title game, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, successful Miami Gardens, Florida. (Rebecca Blackwell/AP)

In 16 games past season, Mendoza completed 72% of his passes for 3,535 yards with 41 touchdowns and six interceptions. Mendoza’s 41 touchdowns led each Division I quarterbacks. While Mendoza starred with the Hoosiers, determination is nary warrant helium starts Week 1 if helium does so get selected by the Raiders.

Raiders number owner Tom Brady and wide manager John Spytek person said galore times that they judge successful not playing a young backmost close away, making it nary definite happening that Mendoza would commencement Week 1.

The Raiders signed Kirk Cousins a mates of weeks ago, providing them with a seasoned backmost who tin commencement portion Mendoza develops.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.