Indiana football will likely make history this week at the 2026 NFL Draft.
Curt Cignetti’s program has a big list of prospects who will likely be selected in Pittsburgh, with some others who could also hear their names called. This could easily set an IU record for most players taken in one NFL Draft. The Hoosiers haven’t had three players in the same draft since 2016, and they’ve done that only one other time in the last 34 years. Indiana’s record is seven, accomplished in 1976 — when the draft went 17 rounds and 487 picks long.
Fernando Mendoza is essentially a lock for the No. 1 overall pick, which will make him the first Hoosier selected in the first round since Thomas Lewis (1994). He’d become IU’s second-ever No. 1 pick, joining Corbett Davis (1938). Any result other than the Las Vegas Raiders taking Mendoza with the first pick would be one of the biggest surprises in NFL Draft history.
Indiana could also have multiple first-round picks for the first time in program history, with Omar Cooper Jr. trending up.
Mendoza is omitted from this roundup, as he’s projected as the No. 1 pick across the board. But here is a look at where the rest of Indiana’s NFL Draft prospects are going in various mock drafts, with four days until everything gets going.
Omar Cooper Jr.
NFL.com (Chad Reuter): first round, No. 23 overall to Philadelphia
The Athletic (Dane Brugler): first round, No. 21 overall to Pittsburgh
USA Today (Ayrton Ostly): first round, No. 22 overall to Miami, in a trade
ESPN (Mel Kiper Jr., only two rounds): first round, No. 16 overall to New York Jets
Pro Football Network (only three rounds): first round, No. 24 overall to Cleveland
Bleacher Report (Brent Sobleski, only three rounds): first round, No. 24 overall to Cleveland
New York Post (Vincent Bonsignore, only three rounds): first round, No. 14 overall to Baltimore
CBS Sports (Mike Renner, only three rounds): first round, No. 16 overall to New York Jets
Athlon Sports (Luke Easterling, only four rounds): first round, No. 16 overall to New York Jets
Walter Football (six rounds only): second round, No. 33 overall to New York Jets
D’Angelo Ponds
NFL.com (Chad Reuter): second round, No. 43 overall to Miami
The Athletic (Dane Brugler): second round, No. 50 overall to Detroit
USA Today (Ayrton Ostly): second round, No. 39 overall to Cleveland
ESPN (Mel Kiper Jr., first two rounds only): second round, No. 59 overall to Houston
Pro Football Network (only three rounds): second round, No. 56 overall to Jacksonville
Bleacher Report (Brent Sobleski, only three rounds): second round, No. 39 overall to Cleveland
New York Post (Vincent Bonsignore, only three rounds): third round, No. 70 overall to Cleveland
CBS Sports (Mike Renner, only three rounds): second round, No. 44 overall to New York Jets
Athlon Sports (Luke Easterling, only four rounds): second round, No. 49 overall to Minnesota
Walter Football (six rounds only): third round, No. 70 overall to Cleveland
Elijah Sarratt
NFL.com (Chad Reuter): third round, No. 70 overall to Dallas
The Athletic (Dane Brugler): third round, No. 67 overall to Las Vegas
USA Today (Ayrton Ostly): third round, No. 71 overall to Washington
Pro Football Network (only three rounds): second round, No. 63 overall to New England
New York Post (Vincent Bonsignore, only three rounds): third round, No. 87 overall to Miami
CBS Sports (Mike Renner, only three rounds): third round, No. 75 overall to Miami
Athlon Sports (Luke Easterling, only four rounds): fourth round, No. 102 overall to Las Vegas
Walter Football (six rounds only): third round, No. 74 overall to Kansas City
Aiden Fisher
NFL.com (Chad Reuter): sixth round, No. 206 overall to Cleveland
The Athletic (Dane Brugler): fifth round, No. 176 overall to Kansas City
Pro Football Network (only three rounds): third round, No. 92 overall to Dallas
Walter Football (six rounds only): sixth round, No. 212 overall to New England
Louis Moore
NFL.com (Chad Reuter): sixth round, No. 183 overall to Arizona
The Athletic (Dane Brugler): sixth round, No. 210 overall to Kansas City
USA Today (Ayrton Ostly): fifth round, No. 162 overall to Baltimore
Pro Football Network (only three rounds): third round, No. 87 overall to Miami
Kaelon Black
NFL.com (Chad Reuter): sixth round, No. 186 overall to New York Giants
The Athletic (Dane Brugler): sixth round, No. 201 overall to Green Bay
USA Today (Ayrton Ostly): seventh round, No. 246 overall to Denver
Walter Football (six rounds only): fourth round, No. 124 overall to Jacksonville
Pat Coogan
NFL.com (Chad Reuter): sixth round, No. 201 overall to Green Bay
USA Today (Ayrton Ostly): seventh round, No. 223 overall to Washington
Walter Football (six rounds only): fifth round, No. 157 overall to Detroit
Riley Nowakowski
The Athletic (Dane Brugler): seventh round, No. 231 overall to Atlanta
USA Today (Ayrton Ostly): sixth round, No. 214 overall to Indianapolis
Mikail Kamara
USA Today (Ayrton Ostly): fifth round, No. 177 overall to Dallas
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