Raiders' No. 1 Pick Fernando Mendoza Collects Cal Degree at MBA Ceremony After Missing May 21 Commencement
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 24
Raiders' No. 1 Pick Fernando Mendoza Collects Cal Degree at MBA Ceremony After Missing May 21 Commencement
6 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 24
Fernando Mendoza, the Raiders' No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, walked at Cal's MBA commencement Saturday to receive his undergraduate business administration and management degree.
May 21's undergraduate ceremony conflicted with his NFL reporting date, so Haas dean Jenny Chatman invited him to the MBA event and surprised the crowd by bringing him onstage.
Mendoza completed the Cal degree while enrolled in a master's program at Indiana in 2025, when he also led the Hoosiers to an undefeated season and a national championship.
Las Vegas has him working through rookie duties after drafting him first overall, with veteran Kirk Cousins still on the depth chart and coach Klint Kubiak envisioning Cousins starting Week 1.
That NFL focus already led Mendoza to skip Indiana's White House visit earlier this month, underscoring how quickly his attention has shifted from college accolades to the Raiders.
How will the NFL's top pick leverage his MBA to redefine quarterback leadership and his personal brand?
Does prioritizing an NFL contract over graduation signal a shift in the values of modern professional athletes?
After a championship season fueled by 'luck,' can Indiana football sustain its elite status without its Heisman-winning quarterback?