Jets have reportedly made their thoughts on Fernando Mendoza crystal clear

The New York Jets are keeping close tabs on the top projected quarterbacks in the 2026 NFL Draft, and it seems no QB in college football is more on their radar than Indiana's Fernando Mendoza.

Mendoza has emerged as the odds-on favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft following a breakout junior season in his first year at Indiana. The Jets appear to be one of a number of teams eyeing him.

Yahoo Sports NFL analyst Nate Tice reported on a recent episode of the Football 301 podcast this week that the Jets are apparently "smitten" with Mendoza. The Athletic's Dane Brugler added that the Jets have more than enough ammunition to trade up and make a move for the Heisman winner.

Mendoza remains firmly in the mix to be the top quarterback in this year's draft class, and a strong showing in the College Football Playoff would likely solidify his status. The Jets seem to be very interested in the idea of trading up to land him.

The Jets are reportedly 'smitten' with Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza

Mendoza transferred from California to Indiana this past offseason and has proceeded to put together arguably the most impressive season of any quarterback in the nation. He's thrown for 33 touchdowns and six interceptions, completing 71.5% of his passes while leading his team to a 13-0 regular season record.

If the Jets want to draft Mendoza, however, they're likely going to need to move up. The Jets have a less than 5% chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick, with the New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders, and Tennessee Titans all tied at 2-12.

The Giants and Raiders play each other next week in a game the Jets would certainly prefer to see the Raiders win. If Las Vegas ends up with the top pick, there’s a very real possibility they draft Mendoza themselves and take him off the board entirely.

But if a team like the Giants or Titans ends up with that pick, the Jets — and several other quarterback-needy teams — would likely be drawn into a bidding war to trade up.

The Jets would hold a significant advantage in that scenario, with more draft capital and flexibility than nearly any competitor, including five first-round picks over the next two years and two second-round selections this spring.

Of course, having all that draft capital doesn’t mean the Jets will actually use it. Any decision to move up will ultimately depend on the price tag and how they evaluate Mendoza and the rest of the quarterback class.

What we do know, however, is that the Jets appear to think very highly of Mendoza. That much has become increasingly clear in recent weeks.