With a Natty feather in his cap and a Heisman title, Fernando Mendoza was destined to receive a lucrative contract in the NFL. But after the Las Vegas Raiders drafted Mendoza as the No.1 pick, his contract surpassed last year’s big hitters, Travis Hunter and Cam Ward. 

Mendoza has been the consensus No.1 pick by most draft experts, and that came to fruition on April 24, 2026. With this, he has created a new record, leaving 2025 Heisman winner Hunter and the 2025 Draft No.1 pick, Ward, behind.  

As per Front Office Sports, the Heisman Trophy winner is set to make $54.5 million across his four-year rookie deal. It’s a major step up from Ward’s $48.7 million four-year deal with the Tennessee Titans last year.

Right after Ward, the former Colorado Buffaloes dual threat, Hunter was the No.2 pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars, who swapped with the Cleveland Browns. He was the first non-quarterback not drafted first overall to hit the $40 million club, receiving a $46.65 million contract. 

According to On3, Mendoza’s NIL estimation was at just $2.6 million. So, with his NFL contract, he has seen a substantial increase after he was drafted. 

All rookie players enter the NFL and sign 4-year deals based on the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Mendoza’s deal includes a a $34.4 million signing bonus and a $13.6 million average annual value, with Mendoza earning $9.9 million as a rookie, according to Spotrac. 

Meanwhile, over the years, the contracts have hit an upward trend. For instance, Joe Burrow’s 2020 No. 1 overall pick contract totaled $36.19 million. 

Mendoza is the first rookie to exceed the $50 million mark. 

How Raiders GM John Spytek Evaluated Fernando Mendoza Pre-Draft

The Las Vegas Raiders general manager, John Spytek, knew long before the draft what they were getting with Mendoza. Hence, decided not to hesitate before dishing out the offer. 

Mendoza lifted the Heisman in December, followed by the Natty in January. In Indiana, the quarterback was the 1st in the FBS 2025 season both in passing touchdowns (41) and holding the best passing efficiency, 182.9.

Yet, Spytek said, it was much later, during the NFL Combine in late February, that he knew Mendoza was the guy for the franchise moving forward. 

"Well, first of all, his recall was incredible," Spytek said of watching tape with Mendoza while the quarterback skipped throwing at the Combine. "You could just put the play up there, and it would be from Week Two, and before you even push play, he knew what it was. He could talk you through it.”

The next date was April 1st at his Indiana Pro Day. Days later, Mendoza was in Las Vegas for his only draft visit. 

That’s how, over the course of time, they got clarity about Mendoza and finally drafted him. 

Will Mendoza be able to live up to the hype in the Raiders? Share your thoughts.

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Written by

Samvruth Raj