Fernando Mendoza encourages athletes to ‘put opportunity before check size’ in NIL era

When he decided to transfer from Cal, Fernando Mendoza had a plan as he worked to find his next home. But speaking with On3, he recalled prioritizing development and the “opportunity” over NIL.

Of course, Mendoza made his way to Indiana, where he put together a decorated year en route to a Heisman Trophy, a national title and becoming the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. He had his list of priorities while going through the process and confirmed money was “around the fourth or fifth option” on his list.

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While he acknowledged the role NIL plays in the current landscape, his message to athletes was to avoid getting caught up in who offers the most money. In fact, he told On3 that IU did not offer him the most money. But he saw a vision from Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers that ultimately led him to Bloomington.

“I believe that you need to put the opportunity before the check size,” Mendoza said via Zoom on behalf of State Farm. “That’s something that I stood by and something that I did in my transfer portal process. Indiana was not the highest bidder. However, I saw the greatest opportunity and I believed in the coaching staff, believed in my teammates and believed in the great culture there at Indiana.

“That was something that ended up paying off in the long-term especially with the opportunity, being able to go there, a great system that fit me. Those were all things on my list, and I believe that money was around maybe the fifth variable or the fourth variable, I believe.”

Fernando Mendoza: NIL shouldn’t be ‘driving factor’

While considering his options once he left Cal after a breakout season, Fernando Mendoza said he laid out a plan for what he wanted in a program. He had a decision matrix and weighed each variable he wanted in his next destination.

But even though NIL was one of those variables, Mendoza wanted to find a place to thrive as a quarterback with goals of getting to the NFL. Of course, he found that at IU while becoming the No. 1 overall pick.

While he sees players attempt to downplay the role money plays, Mendoza said it’s better to admit it’s a factor. It just shouldn’t be the only reason to choose a program.

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“I believe there’s a healthy balance where you’d be remiss to say that money is not a factor, that some people try to say. It evidently is,” Mendoza said. “You’d be remiss not to talk about it, but it always shouldn’t be the driving factor or the only factor.

“There’s a lot of [times] where sometimes, hey, the place with the most money, that is the best opportunity for you because in theory, you’re a larger investment and that leads to probably more slack and a little better of an opportunity. But that’s not always the case.”

‘There’s a thing that makes college football special’

Of course, the NIL landscape changes rapidly. Mendoza’s year at Indiana was the first of the rev-share era in college sports, per terms of the House settlement. On July 1, 2026, cap increased to $21.3 million for the 2026-27 school year.

Given the amount of shifts in college athletics, Mendoza joked his advice might seem different for current athletes. But as he looked at the state of the space, specifically football, he called for everyone to benefit in the modern era.

“I think it’s a crazy space and it evolves every single year,” Mendoza said. “So when I’m talking about this year, it’s changed so much where I’m almost considered like a ‘boomer’ in NIL because I experienced the year before. Now, the quarterback market is completely different. Whether you like to say it or not, reaching out to different players when they enter the portal, that system is different, as well. Coaches moving.

“I feel like it’s evolving every single year where maybe my advice is not going to be the most recent. But that’s my experience and I believe that hopefully, it comes out to a good structure where it’s benefiting both the player … the college football fan and the university, as well as the well-being of college football. I think there’s a thing that makes college football special.”