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Fernando Mendoza won’t be showing up in Pittsburgh when he’s expected to hear his name called first overall in the NFL draft.
The Heisman Trophy winner has told the league he’s staying home in Miami to share the moment with his family, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
It’s become a bit of a trend for top picks to skip the draft – Travon Walker did it in 2022, Trevor Lawrence in 2021. Baker Mayfield and Myles Garrett both chose family gatherings over the league’s showcase event in 2018 and 2017.
The Las Vegas Raiders hold the first pick.
They’re widely expected to grab Mendoza after his incredible run last season, when he led Indiana all the way to the College Football Playoff championship. A source told Schefter that Mendoza visited the Raiders in Las Vegas last Tuesday, though the team hasn’t publicly committed to the quarterback.
This year’s draft kicks off April 23 in Pittsburgh. Mendoza will be watching from South Florida instead of hearing Commissioner Roger Goodell announce his name in person – but he’ll still be the same guy putting on a Raiders hat, just with his family around him instead of a crowd of strangers.
