nfl

Mendoza Named Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who led Indiana to a national championship and won the Heisman Trophy last season, has been named the 2025-2026 Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year.

Mendoza is the sixth student-athlete from Indiana to win the prestigious honor, and the first since track and field's Derek Drouin in 2013. He became only the fourth player in the common draft era to win the Heisman, a national championship, and then go No. 1 overall in the same season, joining Joe Burrow, Jameis Winston, and Cam Newton.

The Las Vegas Raiders selected Mendoza with the first pick in this year's NFL draft. Mendoza and the rest of the Raiders' rookies are scheduled to report to training camp on July 23, where he'll compete for the starting quarterback position. raccoongame.org