Fernando Mendoza's Brother Expected to Replace Award-Winning QB

While Fernando Mendoza begins his NFL career with the Las Vegas Raiders, his brother, Alberto, is also stepping into a new chapter. After spending the past two seasons as a backup for the Indiana Hoosiers, Alberto entered the transfer portal.

He landed with Georgia Tech and was one of 20 players the Yellow Jackets brought in. On3 Industry Rankings listed him as a three-star recruit and the No. 58 quarterback to enter the transfer portal this past offseason

Mendoza joined the Yellow Jackets ready to compete for the starting role. Grady Adamson, Graham Knowles and Cole Bergeron are also names in the mix.

With Georgia Tech opening the season at home against the Colorado Buffaloes on Sept. 3, the former Hoosier appears to be in the lead. When speaking to On3's Andy Staples, head coach Brent Key said Mendoza is expected to be the starter.

"It's no secret we're going to have a quarterback start the first game that's never started a college football game… Most likely will be Alberto Mendoza," Key said.

He has big shoes to fill, replacing Haynes King, who was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent. Last season for the Yellow Jackets, he was named the ACC Player of the Year after throwing for 2,951 yards, 14 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also rushed for 953 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Mendoza is expected to take over this starting role with little experience at the collegiate level. Last season was his most productive, completing 18-of-24 passes for 286 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. He also had 190 rushing yards and one touchdown.

As Georgia Tech prepares for its season opener against Colorado, pressure remains on Mendoza to stay ahead in the quarterback battle.

Related: Oregon Football Gaining Momentum for Top-50 Recruit Before Official Visits

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This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 3:58 PM.