IU quarterback Fernando Mendoza is likely to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. But who else could hear their names called?
MIAMI — Indiana football has a long list of players who have improved their draft stock while leading the program to the CFP title game.
The No. 1 Hoosiers (15-0) could have a record number of players selected this spring while likely ending a first-round drought that’s lasted three-plus decades
Here’s a look at IU’s draft prospects going into Monday’s championship game against Miami:
Indiana football quarterback Fernando Mendoza is likely to go No. 1 to Las Vegas
Recent mock drafts at ESPN and CBS Sports have Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza going No. 1 overall to the Raiders and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has Mendoza as his top overall ranked player.
There was some debate among analysts over whether Oregon’s Dante Moore might jump Mendoza, but his decision to stay in Eugene opens the door for IU’s quarterback to be a near-lock at No. 1.
While Mendoza has yet to declare for the draft, the decision is all but a formality with the Hoosiers adding Josh Hoover out of the transfer portal. They wouldn’t have signed one of the best quarterbacks available if they expected Mendoza to come back.
The Raiders would be a good fit for Mendoza, who grew up idolizing the franchise’s partial owner Tom Brady.
Indiana has a first-round drought going back over three decades to when the New York Giants drafted receiver Thomas Lewis in 1994. The program has never had a player drafted inside the top three.
Indiana football safety Amare Ferrell staying put for 2026
Ferrell, who was a projected mid-round pick, is coming back to Bloomington next season and will anchor the defense as a three-year starter.
The news takes one potential Indiana draft pick off the board, but there are still players beyond Mendoza who could opt to leave early. Left tackle Carter Smith, cornerback D’Angelo Ponds, receiver Omar Cooper Jr. and defensive tackle Tyrique Tucker could consider leaving with eligibility left.
Smith and Ponds told The Herald-Times in the days leading up to the Rose Bowl they planned to weigh their future after the season. Smith was named the Big Ten’s Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2025 while Ponds has earned All-American honors every year he’s played.
He’s also earned Defensive MVP honors in both IU’s bowl games.
Indiana football could have record number of players drafted in 2026
According to the NFL Mock Draft database, Indiana has eight different players projected to go in the draft, including five players projected to go in the first three rounds. That’s as many Hoosiers drafted from 2017-24.
Indiana hasn’t had more than three players drafted in the same year since the league reduced the event down to seven rounds in 1994.
Indiana football’s projected NFL draft prospects
- Fernando Mendoza, QB, 1st Round
- Elijah Sarratt, WR, 2nd Round
- D’Angelo Ponds, CB, 3rd Round
- Carter Smith, OT, 3rd Round
- Omar Cooper Jr., WR, 3rd Round
- Mikail Kamara, DE, 5th Round
- Pat Coogan, OL, 5th Round
- Aiden Fisher, LB, 7th Round
According to the NFL Mock Draft database
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Breaking down Indiana football’s NFL-caliber talent
Category: General Sports
