CORAL GABLES, FLA. (WSVN) - Friends and family of Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza are gathered in Coral Gables for a private watch party, hoping to witness the South Florida standout get his name called first in the NFL Draft on Thursday night.
Mendoza, fresh off winning the Heisman Trophy and the national championship with the Indiana Hoosiers, is living proof that belief can carry you a long way. He is widely projected to be the first overall pick in the draft.
“I’m just trying to be the best me possible, and in that aspect, whatever team picks me, you only need one team to believe in you,” he said.
But Mendoza’s journey was not always guaranteed. During his senior year of high school, he had no big scholarship offers and faced growing doubt. However, one voice never wavered in his support– his mother, Elsa.
“I remember being really upset about not getting any scholarship offers going into my senior year and then her telling, ‘Hey, you’re going to get a Power 4 offer,” Fernando said in a documentary.
The rising star said his mother is his inspiration, motivation, and his ultimate why.
“My mom, Elsa Mendoza, she’s my light, my optimism, my why, she’s my everything,” he said.
As she battles multiple sclerosis, it has helped reshape his perspective in life and turned football into something deeper.
“The way that I see her fight every single day. And overcoming her battle with MS, multiple sclerosis, is inspiring, and it makes football larger than life for me,” he said.
Elsa’s contribution to Fernando’s journey —aside from being his biggest supporter —includes teaching him how to throw and pushing him to dream bigger. She has remained central to every step of his athletic career.
“Whenever I go on the field, I do it to make her proud, to inspire, to have a platform so one day we can hopefully find a cure for [multiple sclerosis],” he said.
That emotion he feels often surfaces during games when he sees her in the crowd.
“If I spot her, it just overwhelms me with emotion because I know that I’m making her proud,” he said.
As draft night approaches in just a couple of hours, Fernando has already made a couple of moves, like meeting with several teams, including the Las Vegas Raiders, who hold the No. 1 overall pick and are looking for a quarterback.
Still, he said, no matter where he lands, his focus will remain on the larger picture.
“I’m just trying to be the best quarterback I can be,” he said.
In a relatable moment to his fans, Fernando joked about his unemployment status during the documentary.
“Just can’t wait to post that I have a job because right now I’m currently unemployed. I’m open to work and looking for a job,” he said.
Those gathered in Coral Gables, however, doubt that status will last long.
Off the field, Fernando is already making an impact. Earlier on Thursday, he announced a $500,000 donation to the University of Miami for multiple sclerosis research, further cementing a legacy that extends beyond football.
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