Fernando Mendoza was just crowned National Champion, and he now has his sights set on the NFL after officially declaring for the NFL Draft on Friday.

The Heisman trophy winner is almost locked in to be the number one overall pick and join the Las Vegas Raiders.

Mendoza, 22, has had one of the greatest seasons of all time, considering what he accomplished and what he will when he hears his name as the number one overall pick. Mendoza looks to join Joe Burrow and Cam Newton as the only players to win the Heisman Trophy, the National Championship, and be the first overall pick.

Mendoza posted stellar numbers this season, throwing for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns while leading the Indiana Hoosiers to a perfect 16-0 record. Any doubt about Mendoza being the clear number one pick was put to bed when he scrambled on a crucial fourth-and-five, running for a 12-yard touchdown that ultimately won them the championship.

Mendoza began his career at the University of California, where he played for two seasons before transferring to Indiana to join Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers.

The Raiders are in a prime position to draft a quarterback after going 3-14. After trading for Geno Smith in the offseason, a move that did not work out, the Raiders will finally get their quarterback post Derek Carr. They are also looking for a head coach to replace Pete Carroll, as the franchise decided to move on after just one season.

As for Indiana and its future post-Mendoza, they will be just fine, as they already have his replacement in the TCU transfer quarterback, Josh Hoover. Hoover threw for 3,472 yards and had 29 touchdowns to go along with a 65.9 completion percentage.

The Indiana Hoosiers are national champions for the first time in school history after an unfathomable program turnaround, led by Heisman quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Mendoza had one of the greatest seasons of all time, accomplishment-wise, but his “why” gives him the strength to go out there and be great every time he steps onto that field. Elsa Mendoza, Fernando’s mother, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 18 years ago. Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the protective coating of the nerves in the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves.

Elsa’s diagnosis worsened during 2020 when she contracted Covid-19. Traveling has been difficult for the Mendoza family because Elsa uses a wheelchair, but she was, without a doubt, the biggest fan and made sure to never miss a game. With the National Championship in Miami, their hometown, the trip was easier and more special for them.

When Fernando accepted the Heisman, he said, “My love for her is unconditional,” tears running down his face. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room as his mom is truly his rock.

Elsa should be nothing but proud of her son, as he exemplifies excellence on and off the field through how he carries himself and what he has accomplished. The presumptive number one overall pick in the upcoming draft led only the second team ever to go 16-0 in a season.

Fernando has started a fundraiser that has reached over $160,000 for MS research, programs, and services to help fight this disease that affects so many lives.