Las Vegas Raiders sign No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza to four-year deal

Las Vegas Raiders sign No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza to four-year deal

The Las Vegas Raiders have reached a contract agreement with the top selection of the 2026 NFL Draft. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza has signed a four-year deal valued at $57.2 million, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Mendoza arrives in Las Vegas following a historic tenure at Indiana. During his lone season with the Hoosiers, he secured both the Heisman Trophy and the College Football Playoff national championship. According to reports, those achievements marked the first time the Indiana program had won either award.

The signing comes as the NFL enters the next phase of the offseason. NFL rookies are reporting to training camps this week, a group that includes Mendoza. While all 32 teams in the league are required to report to camp by July 28, some organizations have accelerated their timelines.

The Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers scheduled both rookies and veterans to report by July 22. This early start prepares both teams for the Hall of Fame Game on August 6. Other teams, including the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, have veterans reporting on July 24. Those two teams are scheduled to open the 2026 regular season on Wednesday, September 9, in a rematch of Super Bowl LX.

Mendoza joins a league currently defined by high-stakes quarterback competition. As training camps open, observers are watching to see who will emerge from battles involving Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson, as well as J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray. There is also ongoing speculation regarding whether Patrick Mahomes will be ready for Week 1.

While the professional ranks settle their rosters, the college landscape continues to shift. In the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs shared renderings on Wednesday of a future stadium in Kansas as they prepare for a move west in a few years.

Meanwhile, the recruitment of elite talent continues in the collegiate ranks. In women's basketball, the Iowa program is pursuing Kristen Winston, a 6-foot guard from Birmingham, Ala. Winston is the No. 1 player in the 2029 class according to ESPN. Assistant coach LaSondra Barrett officially extended the offer to Winston on Wednesday.

Winston has already received offers from several top-tier programs, including Indiana, Alabama, North Carolina, Notre Dame, and Miami. This pursuit follows a pattern of high-profile recruiting for Iowa under Jan Jensen, who previously landed Jada Seubert in the 2027 class, McKenna Woliczko in the 2026 class, and Addie Deal in the 2025 class.

And as the NFL prepares for the regular season, other athletic competitions persist. In the TBT, alumni teams from Kansas colleges are competing for a $2 million prize. A series-deciding third game between KU and K-State alumni was triggered after a comeback by the former Jayhawks on Wednesday night. Simultaneously, the AfterShocks, a team primarily of former Wichita State players, are attempting to close out an opening-round series and repeat their TBT title from last year.

With NFL training camps now active, Mendoza and the 2026 rookie class will begin their professional transitions ahead of the September 9 season opener.