Raiders' No 1 pick Fernando Mendoza surprises Cal's MBA commencement by walking stage for undegrad degree

Fernando Mendoza, nan No. 1 wide prime successful nan 2026 NFL Draft, took clip distant from nan Las Vegas Raiders to move his tassel, and perhaps, show disconnected his limb by flinging his headdress successful a graduation ceremonial this weekend.

But it wasn’t astatine Indiana’s commencement ceremonial – he went backmost to Cal.

Mendoza, who missed a White House sojourn pinch his Hoosiers teammates earlier this period to attraction connected his clip pinch his caller NFL squad, was a portion of Cal’s MBA commencement ceremonial connected Saturday aft antecedently missing their undergraduate ceremonial this past Wednesday.

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Fernando Mendoza looks to walk during nan Las Vegas Raiders rookie minicamp astatine nan team's office successful Henderson, Nev., connected May 2, 2026. (David Becker/Getty Images)

Once again, Mendoza didn’t want to time off his Raiders teammates, but Jenny Chatman, dean of nan Haas School of Business at Cal, made an objection for nan man who completed his grade astatine Cal.

During nan ceremony, Chatman paused to stock nan astonishment that Mendoza would beryllium capable to locomotion nan shape for his undergraduate degree.

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"We person 1 Haas undergraduate student who couldn’t make it to commencement connected Wednesday. So, I dream you don’t mind I invited this personification to our MBA commencement," Chatman told nan crowd. "He really had a really bully excuse for missing commencement. He utilized his Haas skills and coursework to discuss an fantabulous occupation and an fantabulous comp package.

"But he wasn’t capable to alteration his commencement day erstwhile he needed to study to his caller job, truthful tin you please thief maine successful welcoming Las Vegas Raider, Heisman Trophy winner, Haas postgraduate and Cal Bear forever, Fernando Mendoza."

The astonishment led to a awesome number of cheers for Mendoza who, arsenic always, had a agleam grin connected his look arsenic he walked crossed nan shape and accepted his grade successful business management and management.

Mendoza vanished that grade while enrolled successful a master’s programme astatine Indiana successful 2025.

Las Vegas Raiders backmost Fernando Mendoza warms up during a rookie minicamp astatine Intermountain Health Performance Center successful Henderson, Nev., connected May 2, 2026. (Candice Ward/Imagn Images)

During that clip tackling 2 workloads pinch 2 different schools, Mendoza was besides starring nan Hoosiers to a historical undefeated play nether caput coach Curt Cignetti, yet starring to a nationalist title triumph successful his location Miami against his hometown Miami Hurricanes.

It was during nan undefeated play that Mendoza cemented himself arsenic nan apical backmost action successful this year’s draft, and nan Raiders, a squad hopeless for a backmost of nan future, confirmed each predictions that he would spell first wide this past month.

Now, his attraction is connected really he tin effect his caller franchise, whether he’s starting aliases not. Veteran Kirk Cousins is besides connected nan quarterbacks extent floor plan successful "Sin City," and caller caput coach Klint Kubiak has mentioned nan perfect script wherever Cousins starts Week 1, pinch Mendoza processing and learning down him earlier taking complete nether center.

It’s because of that attraction Mendoza said he wouldn’t beryllium joining his Hoosier teammates successful nan nation’s superior for a White House ceremonial celebrating their nationalist championship.

President Donald Trump revealed that Mendoza did telephone him and they had a conversation.

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, selected arsenic nan No. 1 wide prime successful nan 2026 NFL draught by nan Las Vegas Raiders, attends a news convention astatine nan Raiders Headquarters successful Henderson, Nev., connected April 24, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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"He called maine and explained why he couldn’t beryllium here," Trump told nan group astatine nan White House during nan ceremony.

"If he was not present for immoderate different reason. If he did not for illustration Trump, I would not person mentioned him for immoderate different reason. I for illustration him, he's really a large instrumentality of what we're doing ... Fernando couldn't beryllium present coming because he's now a personnel of nan Las Vegas Raiders. I dream he does good."

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