Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
The Pittsburgh Steelers sent two scouts to see Fernando Mendoza, the top-rated quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft class, on Saturday as Mendoza’s No. 2-ranked Indiana Hoosiers visited Penn State.
The Steelers are scouting Mendoza for a second time this season, having previously scouted Indiana in Week 4 against Illinois. The Pittsburgh scouting staff also got two up-close looks at him before this season, when he came to Pitt with Cal in 2024, and at the Indiana pro day in this spring, when he threw for current Steelers wide receiver Ke’Shawn Williams.
Mendoza is currently the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, according to the NFL Mock Draft Database consensus big board, and has been for the last few weeks. It’s been a steady climb through the rankings for Miami native, who entered the season at No. 19.
In a year where most of the most-hyped quarterback prospects in the draft class have foundered, Mendoza has steadily risen, and now appears to be the cream of the crop for next year’s class.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS WEEK 11 2026 NFL DRAFT SCOUT REPORT
GAMES SCOUTED
Indiana at Penn State (Mark Sadowski)
Colorado at West Virginia (Dan Colbert)
Texas A&M at Missouri
Maryland at Rutgers
Nebraska at UCLA
TOP 100 PROSPECTS SCOUTED
No. 1 Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza
No. 25 Texas A&M EDGE Cashius Howell
No. 28 Penn State IOL Vega Ioane
No. 42 Penn State CB A.J. Harris
No. 43 Texas A&M WR Kevin Concepcion
No. 54 Missouri EDGE Zion Young
No. 55 Penn State EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton
No. 62 Texas A&M IOL Chase Bison’s
No. 69 Indiana WR Elijah Sarratt
No. 70 Penn State QB Drew Allar
No. 76 Missouri EDGE Damon Wilson Jr.
No. 86 Penn State S Zakee Wheatley
No. 91 Colorado CB DJ McKinney
No. 95 Texa A&M CB Will Lee III
No. 103 Indiana S Amare Ferrell
No. 104 Texas A&M KLB Taurean York
No. 107 Missouri OT Cayden Green
ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 20: Wide Receiver Carnell Tate #17 of the Ohio State Buckeyes reacts after a play during the Ohio State Buckeyes versus Notre Dame Fighting Irish College Football Playoff National Championship game on January 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire)
PITTSBURGH STEELERS WEEK 10 2026 NFL DRAFT SCOUT REPORT
GAMES SCOUTED
Vanderbilt at Texas
Penn State at Ohio State (Andy Weidl)
Notre Dame at Boston College
TOP 100 PROSPECTS SCOUTED
No. 4 Ohio State S Caleb Downs
No. 10 Ohio State LB Arvell Reeese
No. 15 Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love
No. 18 Ohio State WR Carnell Tate
No. 25 Ohio State LB Sonny Styles
No. 31 Texas LB Anthony Hill Jr.
No. 34 Penn State IOL Olaivavega Ioane
No. 45 Texas OT Trevor Goosby
No. 46 Penn State EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton
No. 49 Penn State CB A.J. Harris
No. 52 Ohio State CB Davison Igbinosun
No. 53 Penn State QB Drew Allar
No. 64 Texas CB Malik Muhammad
No. 68 Ohio State DL Kayden McDonald
No. 72 Ohio State TE Max Klare
No. 81 Penn State OT Drew Shelton
No. 95 Penn State RB Nick Singleton
No. 98 Texas TE Jack Endries
No. 108 Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers
LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina Athletics
PITTSBURGH STEELERS WEEK 9 2026 NFL DRAFT SCOUT REPORT
GAMES SCOUTED
Alabama at South Carolina (two scouts)
Missouri at Vanderbilt (Andy Weidl)
NC State at Pitt
TOP 100 PROSPECTS SCOUTED
No. 4 South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers
No. 9 Alabama QB Ty Simpson
No. 13 Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor
No. 25 Alabama EDGE L.T. Overton
No. 63 Alabama CB Domani Jackson
No. 73 Alabama WR Germie Bernard
No. 80 South Carolina S Jalon Kilgore
No. 81 Alabama IOL Paker Brailsford
No. 87 South Carolina WR Nyck Harbor
No. 91 Alabama LB Deontae Lawson
No. 98 Alabama S Keon Sabb
No. 99 Missouri EDGE Zion Young
No. 103 Missouri OT Cayden Green
No. 109 NC State OT Jacarrius Peak
Dante Moore, Oregon Athletics
PITTSBURGH STEELERS WEEK 8 2026 NFL DRAFT SCOUT REPORT
GAMES SCOUTED
TOP 100 PROSPECTS SCOUTED
No. 3 Oregon QB Dante Moore
No. 8 Utah OT Spencer Fano
No. 20 Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq
No. 23 Utah OT Caleb Lomu
No. 27 Oregon EDGE Mateo Uiagalelei
No. 36 Oregon OT Isaiah World
No. 47 Oregon DT A’Mauri Washington
No. 49 Oregon S Dillon Thieneman
No. 86 Oregon IOL Iapani Laloulu
John Mateer, Oklahoma Athletics
PITTSBURGH STEELERS WEEK 7 2026 NFL DRAFT SCOUT REPORT
GAMES SCOUTED
Northwestern at Penn State (two scouts)
Alabama at Missouri
Oklahoma vs. Texas
Florida at Texas A&M
Clemson at Boston College
TOP 100 PROSPECTS SCOUTED
No. 5 Clemson DT Peter Woods
No. 12 Clemson EDGE T.J. Parker
No. 13 Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor
No. 18 Clemson CB Avieon Terrell
No. 19 Clemson QB Cade Klubnik
No. 24 Texas LB Anthony Hill Jr.
No. 25 Oklahoma QB John Mateer
No. 26 Florida DL Caleb Banks
No. 32 Penn State CB A.J. Harris
No. 35 Alabama EDGE L.T. Overton
No. 36 Penn State QB Drew Allar
No. 37 Penn State EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton
No. 43 Clemson WR Antonio Williams
No. 42 Texas OT Trevor Goosby
No. 47 Texas A&M EDGE Cashius Howell
No. 55 Penn State IOL Olaivavega Ioane
No. 57 Texas CB Malik Muhammad
No. 58 Oklahoma EDGE R. Mason Thomas
No. 59 Florida IOL Austin Barber
No. 60 Penn State RB Nick Singleton
No. 63 Alabama CB Domani Jackson
No. 65 Alabama QB Ty Simpson
No. 71 Texas A&M CB Will Lee III
No. 77 Missouri OT Cayden Green
No. 79 Florida IOL Jake Slaughter
No. 81 Florida EDGE Tyreak Sapp
No. 82 Alabama IOL Parker Brailsford
No. 84 Penn State DL Zane Durant
No. 86 Texas A&M IOL Chase Bisontis
No. 89 Texas A&M WR Kevin Concepcion
No. 92 Alabama WR Germie Bernard
No. 93 Texas TE Jack Endries
No. 96 Alabama S Keon Sabb
No. 97 Northwestern EDGE Anto Saka
No. 106 Alabama LB Deontae Lawson
No. 108 Missouri EDGE Zion Young
No. 109 Boston College OT Jude Bowry
No. 110 Penn State RB Kaytron Allen
No. 114 Oklahoma WR Deion Burks
Drew Allar and the Penn State quarterbacks warmup for the Lions conference matchup at Maryland. — Matt Lynch / Nittany Sports Now:
PITTSBURGH STEELERS WEEK 6 2026 NFL DRAFT SCOUT REPORT
GAMES SCOUTED
Boston College at Pitt
Texas at Florida
Penn State at UCLA
TOP 100 PROSPECTS SCOUTED
No. 21 Texas LB Anthony Hill
No. 24 Penn State QB Drew Allar
No. 28 Florida DL Caleb Banks
No. 33 Penn State EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton
No. 34 Penn State CB A.J. Harris
No. 39 Texas OT Trevor Goosby
No. 53 Penn State RB Nick Singleton
No. 58 Penn State OT Drew Shelton
No. 61 Florida OT Austin Barber
No. 72 Florida IOL Jake Slaughter
No. 73 Florida EDGE Tyreak Sapp
No. 76 Texas CB Malik Muhammad
No. 90 Texas TE Jack Endries
No. 91 Penn State OL Olaivavega Ioane
No. 97 Penn State RB Kaytron Allen
No. 98 Penn State DL Zane Durant
Sam Leavitt, Arizona State Athletics
PITTSBURGH STEELERS WEEK 5 2026 NFL DRAFT SCOUT REPORT
GAMES SCOUTED
TCU at Arizona State (three scouts)
Louisville at Pitt (two scouts)
Oregon at Penn State (two scouts)
LSU at Ole Miss
Baylor at Oklahoma State
Utah at WVU
Brown at Harvard
TOP 100 PROSPECTS SCOUTED
No. 1 LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier
No. 7 Utah OT Spencer Fano
No. 12 Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson
No. 16 Penn State QB Drew Allar
No. 17 Utah OT Caleb Lomu
No. 18 Oregon QB Dante Moore
No. 22 Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq
No. 24 LSU CB Mansoor Delane
No. 26 Oregon EDGE Matayo Uiagalelei
No. 27 Oregon OT Isaiah World
No. 28 Penn State EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton
No. 25 Penn State CB A.J. Harris
No. 33 Oregon State Dillon Thieneman
No. 44 Ole Miss LB Suntarine Perkins
No. 46 Penn State RB Nick Singleton
No. 49 Penn State OT Drew Shelton
No. 50 LSU LB Harold Perkins
No. 59 Louisville WR Chris Bell
No. 63 Arizona State CB Keith Abney II
No. 84 Penn State IOL Olaivavega Ioane
No. 89 Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt
No. 90 LSU LB Whit Weeks
No. 93 Penn State DL Zane Durant
No. 95 Oregon IOL Emmanuel Pregnon
No. 99 Oregon IOL Iapani Laloulu
No. 102 Ole Miss CB Antonio Kite
No. 105 TCU QB Josh Hoover
Carson Beck, Miami Athletics
PITTSBURGH STEELERS WEEK 4 2026 NFL DRAFT SCOUT REPORT
GAMES SCOUTED
Iowa at Rutgers
Florida at Miami
Illinois at Indiana
TOP 100 PROSPECTS SCOUTED
7. Miami OT Francis Mauigoa
8. Miami EDGE Rueben Bain
13. Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza
57. Miami QB Carson Beck
59. Florida IOL Jake Slaughter
61. Illinois EDGE Gabe Jacas
68. Iowa OT Gennings Dunker
73. Illinois S Xavier Scott
77. Florida EDGE Tyreak Sapp
78. Iowa DL Aaron Graves
87. Indiana LB Aiden Fisher
98. Indiana S Amare Ferrell
112. Miami EDGE Akheem Mesidor
Cade Klubnik, Clemson Athletics
PITTSBURGH STEELERS WEEK 3 2026 NFL DRAFT SCOUT REPORT
GAMES SCOUTED
NC State at Wake Forest
Kansas State at Arizona
Oklahoma at Temple
Pitt at West Virginia (Jarrod Highberger)
Clemson at Georgia Tech
TOP 100 PROSPECTS SCOUTED
4. Clemson QB Cade Klubnik
5. Clemson DL Peter Woods
9. Clemson EDGE T.J. Parker
23. Clemson CB Avieon Terrell
29. Clemson WR Antonio Williams
55. Oklahoma QB John Mateer
81. Clemson DL DeMonte Capehart
94. Oklahoma OT Derek Simmons
97. Oklahoma EDGE Mason Thomas
106. Clemson OT Blake Miller
Nico Iamaleava, UCLA Athletics
GAMES SCOUTED
Northern Illinois at Maryland
Michigan at Oklahoma
UNC at Charlotte
FIU at Penn State
UCLA at UNLV
TOP 100 PROSPECTS SCOUTED
7. Drew Allar QB Penn State
26. Penn State EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton
37. Penn State CB A.J. Harris
39. Penn State RB Nick Singelton
44. Penn State OT Drew Shelton
51. Oklahoma QB John Mateer
79. Penn State IOL Olavavega Ioane
84. Penn State DL Zane Durant
92. Oklahoma EDGE R Mason Thomas
99. Penn State S Zakee Whatley
100. UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava
104. Penn State RB Kaytron Allen
117. Michigan LB Jaishawn Barham
118. Oklahoma DL Gracen Halton
Arch Manning, Texas Athletics
GAMES SCOUTED
Texas at Ohio State
FAU at Maryland
Alabama at Florida State (scout Ike Taylor)
Duquesne at Pitt
LSU at Clemson
Northern Arizona at Arizona State
Virginia Tech at South Carolina
Notre Dame at Miami
TOP 100 PROSPECTS SCOUTED
1. Texas QB Arch Manning
2. Clemson QB Cade Klubnik
3. LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier
4. South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers
5. Clemson DT Peter Woods
6. Ohio State S Caleb Downs
7. Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor
8. Clemson DL T.J. Parker
12. Miami OT Francis Mauigoa
15. Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson
16. Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love
17. Miami EDGE Rueben Bain
19. Clemson CB Avieon Terrell
20. Texas LB Anthony Hill Jr.
22. Alabama EDGE L.T. Overton
27. Clemson WR Antonio Williams
29. Ohio State WR Carnell Tate
30. South Carolina CB Jalon Kilgore
34. Ohio State LB Sonny Styles
37. Ohio State TE Max Klare
39. Texas OT Trevor Goosby
41. LSU DT Harold Perkins
42. Texas CB Malik Muhammad
43. Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt
44. Alabama CB Domani Jackson
56. Alabama LB Deontae Lawson
63. Alabama WR Germie Bernard
65. Arizona State OT Max Iheanachor
72. Arizona State CB Keith Abney II
73. Alabama IOL Parker Brailsford
74. South Carolina WR Nyck Harbor
75. LSU CB Mansoor Delane
78. LSU LB Whit Weeks
82. Clemson OT Blake Miller
89. Florida State DL Darrell Jackson Jr.
90. Alabama S Keon Sabb
91. Clemson DT DeMonte Capehart
92. Notre Dame OT Aamil Wagner
95. Texas IOL D.J. Campbell
100. Texas S Michael Taffe
102. Texas RB Quintrevion Wisner
103. Alabama IOL Jaeden Roberts
107. Alabama DL Tim Keenan III
109. LSU EDGE Patrick Payton
110. Clemson OT Tristan Leigh
111. Ohio State CB Davison Igbinosun
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