Getty
Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers celebrates after defeating Miami Hurricanes 27-21 in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium on January 19, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Fernando Mendoza and the Indiana Hoosiers just capped off what could be considered one of, if not the greatest, seasons in college football history, and is likely set to become the first pick in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.
With the Las Vegas Raiders holding that selection, the expectation is that the Heisman winner will begin his career in Sin City, but what will happen after that is unknown.
However, in a post by DraftKings Sportsbook on Instagram, the company asked artificial intelligence what an NFL career would look like, and the results paint a bold picture.
HeavyAI Predicts Fernando Mendoza NFL Career
Although just a prediction, the AI believed Mendoza would end his career as a two-time Super Bowl winner, rank near the top of the NFL in passing yards, have ten Pro Bowl selections, and make the Pro Football Hall of Fame, along with a few other notable statistics.
AI Predicts Fernando Mendoza’s NFL Career
Beginning in Las Vegas, Mendoza is predicted to go 5-12 in his rookie season and miss the playoffs. He will then go 7-10 in 2027 and 9-8 in 2028, missing out on the postseason in the combined first three years of his career.
Then, things start to ramp up. In 2029, still with the Raiders, he is predicted to go 10-7, but fall in the Wild Card Round. The following season, he steps up a level and has a 12-5 regular season record while making a run to the Super Bowl, which ultimately ends in failure.
After nearly winning the championship, that is followed with a Divisional Round loss in 2031 after an 11-6 record, and then losing in the AFC Championship with a 13-4 record.
Finally, in 2033, with a 14-3 record and presumably a strong Raiders team, Mendoza is predicted to win the first Super Bowl of his career.
HeavyAI Predicts Fernando Mendoza NFL Career 2
That is predicted to then be followed by two above .500 seasons, both of which end early, either in the Wild Card or Divisional Rounds in 2034 and 2035. However, in 2036, Mendoza is once again slated to win the Super Bowl with a career-best 15-2 record in what would be his 11th NFL season, still with the Raiders.
After missing the playoffs in 2036, Mendoza is then predicted to move to the Minnesota Vikings for three years, two of which end in positive records but playoff exits, followed by an 8-9 campaign and missing the playoffs.
Finally, Mendoza is predicted to head to the San Francisco 49ers to play his final three years in the NFL. With 11-6, 10-7, and 5-12 records in 2041, 2042, and 2043, he won’t win another Super Bowl, but will reach one NFC title game before retiring after 18 seasons.
HeavyAI Predicts Fernando Mendoza NFL Career
With two Super Bowl wins, two MVP seasons, ten Pro Bowl selections, 63,404 passing yards, 422 touchdowns on a 65.9% passing completion rate, and 171 total wins, all of which would be top-15 all-time, Mendoza is predicted to make the Hall of Fame in 2049.
There have been a few other companies posting similar AI predictions on Mendoza’s NFL career, and while his recent success could play a part in those bold predictions, most of them see the Heisman winner as having a very successful career in the professional ranks.
Mendoza, Indiana Competes Historic Run, Wins National Title
Back to reality, it is hard to predict Mendoza’s, or any other athlete’s, or person’s career trajectory. But considering what he just did with the Hoosiers, his having a successful NFL career is by no means out of the question.
Indiana went 16-0, had the Heisman winner, Coach of the Year, and beat the famous Miami Hurricanes in their own stadium to claim the first national championship in program history.
While head coach Curt Cignetti, Mendoza, the rest of the team, and even their biggest donor, Mark Cuban, can all be cited as reasons for the historic turnaround and season, Indiana ending the year at the top of the college football landscape is one of the most unique storylines in recent American sports history.
While some sportsbooks had Indiana at anywhere from 20-1 to 50-1, to 100-1 odds to win the national title, perhaps the only team, at least in recent memory, to win with even higher odds was Leicester City of the English Premier League in 2016.
Mendoza, at the top of the sport, is slated to be the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and while having a better professional career than some of the best quarterbacks ever will be a tough task, he’s off to a good start, if his college career says anything.
Eli Gregorski is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy Sports. He has years of sports writing experience covering the NBA, NFL, college football and basketball, international soccer, and Formula One. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was the assistant sports editor for the award-winning CU Independent student publication. More about Eli Gregorski
