For months, the buzz around Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza has been building. But after he led Indiana to a national championship victory over Miami on Monday night, the hype reached a fever pitch. Now that Mendoza has declared for the NFL draft, the Las Vegas Raiders — holders of the No. 1 pick — appear poised to make him the face of their franchise.
Raiders owner Mark Davis, minority owner Tom Brady, and general manager John Spytek were all in attendance at Hard Rock Stadium to watch Mendoza’s title-clinching performance. Brady’s presence is especially notable given Mendoza has long cited the legendary quarterback as a major influence.
“I know he’s a huge Tom Brady fan, he really looks up to him,” said Tyler Droste, an Indiana native who attended the game. “So to be part of an organization that Tom Brady is a part of would be a cool story, because he could get mentorship from someone he really looks up to.”
Mendoza’s star power was on full display throughout championship week in South Florida. He drew a media swarm at every turn, took time to sign autographs for fans, and even high-fived the Indiana band and cheer team after the win. Eddie Lopez, a Miami native who interviewed Mendoza when he played at Cal, described the quarterback as genuinely approachable.
“He took the time out of his day to make that interaction and make it meaningful and that meant the world to me,” Lopez said.
Even fans of other teams are planning to follow Mendoza’s NFL career. Lopez, a die-hard Dolphins fan, said he’ll root for Mendoza despite potentially playing for an AFC rival. Josh Silverman, who traveled from Baltimore with his two sons, called Mendoza “an amazing athlete; he’s an amazing person and individual and a great leader.”
Mendoza himself seems ready for the bright lights of Las Vegas, embracing the gambler’s mentality. “When it’s fourth down-and-4, fourth down-and-5, we’re going to lay it all on the line,” he said postgame. “We got to this point by betting on ourselves. So the ultimate gamble; we’re going to double-down and make sure we hit the jackpot.”
