Fernandomania — or Mendozamania, if you prefer, for the excitement surrounding Heisman Trophy-winning college quarterback Fernando Mendoza — is heading to the NFL. If the Raiders play their hand correctly by drafting him with the top pick, Las Vegas will serve as the hub of that fandom.

Mendoza declared for the NFL draft Friday via a LinkedIn post, officially positioning the Raiders to use their No. 1 pick in the April draft on the budding superstar. Raiders owner Mark Davis, minority owner and NFL quarterbacking great Tom Brady and general manager John Spytek were in attendance Monday night to watch Mendoza’s triumphant national title win over Miami (Florida).

A few days prior to Friday’s announcement, the mania swept through south Florida during the College Football Playoff national championship game and related events.

From a flock of media covering his every move, to taking a candid moment to sign autographs for a pair of fans, to Mendoza and Indiana gear as prevalent as Miami Hurricanes gear in south Florida, to even the Hoosiers’ band and cheer team fanning out on the QB as he gave them high-fives after the title win like he was the second coming of the Beatles, it was evident Mendoza has the making to become an NFL superstar, both on and off the field.

One of the people who got an autograph from Mendonza on media day, Eddie Lopez of Miami, said he’s looked up to the star football player since he was a freshman at Christopher Columbus High School when Mendoza was a senior. Lopez worked for the school paper later in his time at Columbus High and interviewed Mendoza when he was playing at Cal. Lopez respects the time he took out of his day for that interview and to give him his autograph last weekend.

“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.

Lopez is a die-hard Miami Dolphins fan, so he’ll continue to root for his hometown team, but will also pull for Mendoza, even if he’s on an opposing AFC team in the Raiders.

“I don’t think I’d change for another AFC team, but I’ve followed his career up to this point, so he’ll for sure be my favorite quarterback,” Lopez said. “The Dolphins don’t have one (a quarterback) and I don’t think Tua (Tagovailoa) will be there, but I’ll follow him (Mendoza). I won’t become a Raiders fan, but I’ll follow him throughout his career for sure.”

Tyler Droste of Evansville, Indiana, who attended the CFP championship last Monday night at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, said despite being a Minnesota Vikings fan he will follow Mendoza’s NFL career.

“I’m from Indiana, but I’m a Vikings fan. … We root for the (Indianapolis) Colts, too, but I would definitely wish him the best success possible at the Raiders,” Droste said. “I think it would be a cool story for the Raiders to get him. I know he’s a huge Tom Brady fan, he really looks up to him. 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.”

Josh Silverman of Baltimore, Maryland, was in Florida with his two sons to root on Mendoza and the Hoosiers. Silverman said he couldn’t think of a better player for his two sons to look up to than Mendoza, highlighting the quarterback’s positive character.

“He’s an amazing athlete; he’s an amazing person and individual and a great leader,” Silverman said. “I will follow him for the rest of his career, whether that’s in football or out of football. He’s quite an amazing individual.”

If the Raiders do select Mendonza first overall on April 23, he seemingly already has the gamblers mindset when it comes to making big plays on the field, that will see him fit in Southern Nevada just fine.

“When it’s fourth down-and-4, fourth down-and-5, we’re going to lay it all on the line,” Mendoza said postgame Monday. “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.”

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.

Source link