Miami Dolphins linked to Fernando Mendoza and No. 1 overall pick originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The 2026 NFL Draft is turning into the Fernando Mendoza sweepstakes.
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The Heisman Trophy winner and Indiana University quarterback is projected to go No. 1 overall, but some teams already have a starting quarterback and could move out of the slot.
The New York Giants (2-13) currently hold the rights to the No.1 pick, with the Las Vegas Raiders (2-13) at No. 2. The Giants and Raiders play each other Week 17, with the game potentially deciding who will have the first pick. Of course, if the Raiders receive the No. 1 pick, they’d likely be interested in drafting Mendoza, too.
But in Pro Football Focus’ latest mock draft released Monday, the Giants were projected to trade the No. 1 overall pick to the Miami Dolphins, who currently hold the No. 10 selection. The Giants are committed to rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart.
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Miami is widely expected to move on from Tua Tagovailoa despite owing him $54 million, and acquiring the top pick would require a significant package in return. Still, if the Dolphins believe Mendoza is their franchise quarterback, they could be willing to pay the price.
Agent Drew Rosenhaus said during his weekly Sunday night segment on WSVN Fox 7 that he expects Miami to explore trading up for a quarterback, specifically naming Mendoza as a likely target.
The Dolphins have pursued a similar strategy before. In 2020, they reportedly offered the Bengals four first-round picks to move from No. 5 to No. 1 to draft Joe Burrow, rather than choosing between Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
If Miami is unable to land the top pick — or if another quarterback-needy team beats them to it — the Dolphins could still attempt to move up and target Oregon quarterback Dante Moore.
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