2026 NFL Draft Live Tracker: Indiana set to see record number of players selected

The 2026 NFL Draft began on Thursday night and Indiana football watched two players selected in the first round for the first time in program history as Fernando Mendoza went No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders, and Omar Cooper Jr was selected 30th overall by the New York Jets.

Upwards of 10 players from Indiana are expected to be drafted this weekend.

Here’s a live tracker of where each lands.

Round One:

No. 1: Fernando Mendoza — Las Vegas Raiders

Mendoza broke the record for the most touchdown passes by a Hoosier with 41 on the season, while he also broke the single-game IU record for completion percentage in a game (95%), as well as completion percentage for a season (72%).

He won the Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award and Walter Camp Award, while being named to the All-Big Ten first team and was a consensus All-American. During Indiana’s postseason run, he was named offensive MVP of the Big Ten Championship, Peach Bowl and National Championship Game.

Mendoza totaled 3,535 yards on the season, second in Indiana history, as he becomes the second Hoosier taken as the No. 1 pick as well. Fullback Corby Davis was picked first back in 1938, making the Raiders’ selection technically not the first No. 1 pick from IU.

No. 30: Omar Cooper Jr — New York Jets

Cooper was an All-Big Ten Second Team selection in 2025 after finishing with 69 receptions for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was top-5 in the Big Ten in all three categories, including second in the Big Ten and tied for third nationally in receiving touchdowns. 

Over his career, Cooper had 115 catches for 1,798 yards and 24 touchdowns, including two rushing scores, in 42 games

Round Two:

No. 50: D’Angelo Ponds — New York Jets

The 5-foot-8 5/8 and 182-pound junior entered the draft after an All-Big Ten first team selection, while being a consensus All-American. Ponds was named both Rose Bowl and Peach Bowl defensive MVP, as he forced a key fumble against Alabama, while his game-opening pick-six against Oregon was one of the most memorable moments from Indiana’s national title run.

During the 2025 season, he totaled 60 tackles, 10 pass deflections and two interceptions. But for the majority of snaps, quarterbacks usually didn’t bother to look his way, or the receiver was completely covered altogether.

Round Three:

No. 90: Kaelon Black — San Fransisco 49ers

Black rushed for 1,040 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 5.6 yards per attempt for Indiana this season. He led the Hoosiers with 79 rushing yards on 17 carries in the National Championship against Miami.

The 5-foot-10 and 210-pound running back entered the draft with many expecting him to be a day three pick, but a strong pre-draft process including a great performance at Indiana’s Pro Day saw Black shoot up draft boards and eventually wind up as the third running back off the board.

Round Four:

No. 115: Elijah Sarratt — Baltimore Ravens

Sarratt was an All-Big Ten Second Team selection in 2025 after finishing the year with 65 receptions for 830 yards and an NCAA-leading 15 receiving touchdowns in 14 games. He missed two games with a hamstring injury.

The 6-foot-2 and 213-pound wideout was given the nickname, ‘Waffle House’, because his ability to make himself open was one of his best traits — and one of the best in the entire country. His connection with Fernando Mendoza on back shoulder throws became the go-to move for the duo.

Round Five:

No. 169: Riley Nowakowski — Pittsburgh Steelers

Nowakowski spent one year with the Hoosiers and made the most of it, starting all 16 games at tight end and earning second-team All-Big Ten media honors and third-team All-Big Ten from the coaches panel.

The 6-foot-1 and 249-pound tight end had 387 receiving yards and four touchdowns (two rushing) in his lone season with Indiana. Nowakowski likely projects as a fullback in the NFL due to his strong blocking abilities.

Round Six:

No. 194: Pat Coogan — Tennessee Titans

Coogan played an integral role on the Hoosiers’ offensive line after transferring from Notre

Dame after the 2024 season. He started all 16 games for Indiana en route to the National

Championship.

The 6-foot-5 and 311-pound interior lineman earned Offensive MVP honors at the Rose Bowl

after Indiana’s win over Alabama and was tabbed second-team All-Big Ten by the media and

third-team by the coaches.

Round Seven:

No. 243: Aiden Fisher — Houston Texans

Fisher was named a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association and the Football Writers Association of America last season after recording 97 total tackles, 10.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks, and 2 interceptions.

The 6-foot-1, 231-pound linebacker totaled 215 tackles over two years at Indiana while serving as the de facto leader of Bryant Haines’ defense.

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