BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football will make history in this week’s 2026 NFL Draft.
The Hoosiers are expected to send a record number of players to the NFL later this week starting with former IU quarterback Fernando Mendoza going No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. He won’t be the only former Indiana player to hear their name called with prominent mock drafts predicting as many as 10 IU players from last year’s team getting selected across the three-day event.
Indiana hasn’t had a player drafted in the first round since the New York Giants drafted receiver Thomas Lewis in 1994. The Hoosiers haven’t had a player drafted No. 1 overall in the modern era. Over the last two decades, IU hasn’t had more than three players drafted in a single year.
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Indiana's Rolijah Hardy (5) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Josh Hoover (10) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana Defensive Coordinator Byrant Haines during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Grant Wilson (2) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Carter Smith (65) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Josh Hoover (10) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Richard Turbo (1) takes a handoff from Josh Hoover (10) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Tyler Morris (8) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Jacob Bell (12) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Tyler Cherry (15) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Tyler Cherry (15) hands the ball to Jayreon Campbell (22) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana Head Coach Curt Cignetti during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Jacob Savage (21) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana Universtiy President Pam Whitten during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Tyrone Burris Jr. (99) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Quentin Clark (40) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Ronelle Johnson (93) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Tyrone Burris Jr. (99) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Jamar Owens (16) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Clay Conner (36) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana Defensive Coordinator Byrant Haines during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Grant Wilson (2) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Tyler Cherry (15) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Maverick Geske (14)during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Grant Wilson (2) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana's Nick Marsh (11) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.Indiana Universtiy President Pam Whitten during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.1 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Rolijah Hardy (5) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.1 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Rolijah Hardy (5) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.2 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Josh Hoover (10) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.3 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana Defensive Coordinator Byrant Haines during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.4 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Grant Wilson (2) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.5 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Carter Smith (65) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.6 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Josh Hoover (10) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.7 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Richard Turbo (1) takes a handoff from Josh Hoover (10) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.8 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Tyler Morris (8) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.9 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Jacob Bell (12) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.10 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Tyler Cherry (15) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.11 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Tyler Cherry (15) hands the ball to Jayreon Campbell (22) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.12 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana Head Coach Curt Cignetti during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.13 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Jacob Savage (21) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.14 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana Universtiy President Pam Whitten during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.15 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Tyrone Burris Jr. (99) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.16 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Quentin Clark (40) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.17 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Ronelle Johnson (93) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.18 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Tyrone Burris Jr. (99) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.19 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Jamar Owens (16) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.20 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Clay Conner (36) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.21 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana Defensive Coordinator Byrant Haines during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.22 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Grant Wilson (2) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.23 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Tyler Cherry (15) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.24 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Maverick Geske (14)during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.25 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Grant Wilson (2) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.26 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana's Nick Marsh (11) during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.27 / 27Indiana football and Cignetti take the field for practice, see photosIndiana Universtiy President Pam Whitten during Indiana football spring practice on Thursday, April 16, 2026.ESPN.com (Jordan Reid)Fernando Mendoza, No. 1 (Round 1); Las Vegas Raiders
D’Angelo Ponds, No. 51 (Round 2); Carolina Panthers
Pat Coogan, No. 187 (Round 6); Washington Commanders
Fernando Mendoza, No. 1 (Round 1); Las Vegas Raiders
Elijah Sarratt, No. 67 (Round 3); Las Vegas Raiders
Aiden Fisher, No. 176 (Round 4); Kansas City Chiefs
Riley Nowakowski, No. 231 (Round 7); Atlanta Falcons
Fernando Mendoza, No. 1 (Round 1); Las Vegas Raiders
Kaelon Black, No. 164 (Round 5); Jacksonville Jaguars
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: Projecting Indiana football 2026 NFL Draft selections