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Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza became the 26th Heisman winner to be selected No. 1 overall in the NFL draft after the Oakland Raiders selected him in 2026. Mendoza continues a legacy that dates back to the first Heisman winner, Chicago running back Jay Berwanger, being selected No. 1 overall in the first-ever NFL draft in 1936.
Of the 26 players, only Mendoza, Joe Burrow (2019), Jameis Winston (2013) and Cam Newton (2010) have won the Heisman trophy, a college football national championship and been selected first overall.
View the full list of Heisman Trophy winners to be selected first overall in the NFL draft below.
Heisman Trophy winners to go No. 1 overall
Heisman YEAR
WINNER
College TEAM
POSITION
Draft Year
NFL Draft Team
1935
Jay Berwanger
Chicago
HB
1936
Philadelphia Eagles
1940
Tom Harmon
Michigan
HB
1941
Chicago Bears
1942
Frank Sinkwich
Georgia
HB
1943
Detroit Lions
1943
Angelo Bertelli
Notre Dame
QB
1944
Boston Yanks
1949
Leon Hart
Notre Dame
TE
1950
Detroit Lions
1956
Paul Hornung
Notre Dame
QB
1957
Green Bay Packers
1959
Billy Cannon
LSU
HB
1960
Los Angeles Rams
1961
Ernie Davis
Syracuse
HB/LB/FB
1962
Washington Redskins
1962
Terry Baker
Oregon State
QB
1963
Los Angeles Rams
1968
O. J. Simpson
USC
HB
1969
Buffalo Bills
1970
Jim Plunkett
Stanford
QB
1971
New England Patriots
1977
Earl Campbell
Texas
RB
1978
Houston Oilers
1978
Billy Sims
Oklahoma
RB
1980
Detroit Lions
1980
George Rogers
South Carolina
RB
1981
New Orleans Saints
1985
Bo Jackson
Auburn
RB
1986
Tampa Bay Buccaneers*
1986
Vinny Testaverde
Miami
QB
1987
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2002
Carson Palmer
USC
QB
2003
Cincinnati Bengals
2008
Sam Bradford
Oklahoma
QB
2010
St. Louis Rams
2010
Cam Newton
Auburn
QB
2011
Carolina Panthers
2013
Jameis Winston
Florida State
QB
2015
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2017
Baker Mayfield
Oklahoma
QB
2018
Cleveland Browns
2018
Kyler Murray
Oklahoma
QB
2019
Arizona Cardinals
2019
Joe Burrow
LSU
QB
2020
Cincinnati Bengals
2021
Bryce Young
Alabama
QB
2023
Carolina Panthers
2022
Caleb Williams
Southern California
QB
2024
Chicago Bears
2026
Fernando Mendoza
Indiana
QB
2026
Oakland Raiders
*Bo Jackson was draft No. 1 overall in the 1986 NFL draft but chose to play baseball with the Kansas City Royals over the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers forfeited his rights before the 1987 NFL draft and the Los Angeles Raiders selected Jackson in the seventh round with the 183rd pick.
Stan Becton joined NCAA.com in 2021 and has since served as a college football, FCS football, track and field, cross country and HBCU beat reporter. He has covered numerous NCAA championship events, including the FCS Championship, DI Track & Field Championships and Men’s Frozen Four. Additionally, he has covered the College Football Playoff and HBCU sporting events like the Celebration Bowl, MEAC/SWAC Challenge and Legacy Classic. Stan graduated from Carnegie Mellon University, earning a degree in Professional Writing and playing football as a five-year letterman. You can follow him on Twitter @stan_becton.
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