Las Vegas made Fernando Mendoza the top pick in the 2026 NFL draft Thursday, ushering in a new era of Raiders football.
Mendoza took in the moment at home in Miami alongside his family, putting on a Raiders hat after hearing his name called. What was next up for Mendoza? A post on LinkedIn.
The Indiana standout is frequently active on the platform, with his first post coming four years ago after he committed to California. Since then, he has celebrated multiple milestones — big and small — ranging from winning the national championship to attending ACC media day in 2024. He even posted his NFL draft declaration on LinkedIn, receiving over 30,000 reactions.
Thursday brought one of the biggest accomplishments of Mendoza’s career so far, and he made sure to update his virtual resume when it happened. Under his experience, Mendoza added “Quarterback” with the employer being “National Football League” and his start date being April 2026.
Then, he starred in a LinkedIn commercial during the first break of the draft. During the ad, Mendoza documented his selection to the NFL with a LinkedIn post, writing: “It’s official. Grateful for the opportunity and ready to get to work!”
