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Fernando Mendoza, a 22-year-old Cuban-American quarterback, was selected this Thursday as the first overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders, becoming the first player of Cuban descent to achieve this milestone in the history of professional American football, reported .
The selection was eagerly anticipated. The Raiders finished the 2025 season with a record of three wins and 14 losses under former coach Pete Carroll, which secured them the first pick in the draft.
Tom Brady, minority co-owner of the franchise, was identified as a key figure in the decision to bet on Mendoza.
Born on October 1, 2003, Mendoza has reached this moment after an extraordinary academic journey.
In the 2025 season with the University of Indiana, he led the Hoosiers to a perfect record of 16-0 and the program's first national championship, defeating the Miami Hurricanes 27-21 in the final on January 19, 2026, he recalled Fox Sports.
His numbers in that campaign were dominant: 3,535 passing yards, 41 touchdowns —first nationally—, only six interceptions, and a passer rating of 90.3, also the best in the country.
Before the draft, Mendoza had already made history by winning the Heisman Trophy 2025, the award for the best player in college football, with 2,362 points.
He was the first player of Cuban descent to receive that award and the first Heisman winner in Indiana's history.
The last Latino to win it was Jim Plunkett from Stanford, in 1970.
Mendoza's personal story is a tale of overcoming challenges and Cuban roots.
According to elTOQUE, his four grandparents were born in Cuba—three in Havana and one in Santiago de Cuba—and emigrated to the United States in search of the American dream.
He grew up in Miami and at 17 years old received no offers from 130 universities; Cal Berkeley finally accepted him as a backup quarterback just two weeks before the signing day.
Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar publicly celebrated Mendoza's achievement, who chose to enjoy the moment at his home in Florida surrounded by his family.
In previous occasions, the quarterback had expressed his gratitude towards his roots: "I love you all very much, I thank you from the bottom of my heart".
Now, with his sights set on his professional debut, Mendoza is clear about his commitment: "I'm just eager to get to work and earn it every day".
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