Quarterback Fernando Mendoza went from Bloomington to the top of the NFL Draft in one of the more remarkable college football stories in recent memory. Now the No. 1 pick is being asked about giving back, and his answer was straightforward.

When reporter David Rumsey of Front Office Sports asked Mendoza if he had plans to donate to Indiana's NIL fund, he kept it real.

"To be completely honest with you, not at the moment. I haven't even signed my Raiders contract yet," the Las Vegas Raiders quarterback told FOS. "I mean, definitely going to consider it in the future. However, as of now, I'm trying to focus on Raiders football."

Indiana's NIL bill is not small anymore. Their 2026 roster valuation came in at $32.4 million, as reported by The NIL Standard. The year they won the title, it was just under $20 million.

Mendoza did make it clear he wants to give back, just not to Indiana football right now. He already donated to the University of Miami's fight against MS and is channeling his charitable energy through the Mendoza Family Fund.

"That's a cause that's a little bit more dear to my heart, to be completely honest, more than the transfer portal," said in the same interview, who hasn't even cashed his first NFL check yet.

The contract situation itself has been dragging on for a while now. Mendoza and the Raiders haven't agreed on how his $38.11 million signing bonus gets paid out. Most recent No. 1 picks have received that money in one lump sum, but Las Vegas has a history of spreading those payments out across the season.

CBS Sports analyst Joel Corry explained the holdup isn't about the total money. The four-year deal worth $57.27 million with a fifth-year option is already set. It's purely about the payment schedule.

Mendoza has still been a full participant in minicamp despite being unsigned. He's not holding out, he's not making noise. He's just waiting on a deal that everyone expects to get done.

For now, Mendoza's focus is fully on the next chapter, but concerns loom.

The Raiders urged not to sign the rookie deal with Fernando Mendoza

An ex-NFL scout, Daniel Kelly, is still not sold on Mendoza's talent. With this, he advised the Raiders not to rush.

"As a former NFL Scout I recommend that the Raiders and Rams DO NOT sign Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson to their rookie deals. Save the money," wrote Kelly on X. "Both were overhyped. Mendoza was a fourth-round NFL value on his 2025 Indiana game film. Simpson was an NFL third-round value on his 2025 Alabama game film."

Mendoza hit a series of milestones in college. The Indiana star came up with a perfect season with a national championship and a school-record 41 touchdown passes, creating significant excitement ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.

As reported by Marca's analyst José Rodríguez, the opening weeks of preseason work have revealed that Mendoza still has adjustments to make as he adapts to the NFL.

Do you think the Raiders should sign the rookie deal with Mendoza? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Farheen Fathima

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar