The 2026 NFL season begins Wednesday night, and 18 former Indiana football players are on official team rosters. After an undefeated season, a first national title and a Heisman Trophy, this also marks the most rookies — nine — that have ever been drafted from Indiana in one season, along with 10 returning players.
Last season’s starting quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza made his preseason debut with the Las Vegas Raiders against the Arizona Cardinals on Aug. 13. The No. 1 overall draft pick recorded his first touchdown on a 6-yard pass to wide receiver Jack Bech. Mendoza ended the preseason with a 55.6% completion rate, 240 passing yards and one touchdown.
Mendoza will not be starting for the Raiders against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Instead, 15th-season quarterback Kirk Cousins will take the field. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak told CBS Sports he would like Mendoza to have more time to practice and build skills before his official debut.
“Ideally, you don’t want him to start from day one,” Kubiak said. “I think it does help the player if they can sit behind a mature adult and watch how they run the show.”
On the East Coast, wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. joined the New York Jets. At Indiana, Cooper finished his collegiate career with 115 receptions for 1,798 receiving yards and 24 total touchdowns over 42 games.
Cooper sustained a right leg injury against Ohio State during the 2025 Big 10 Championship game but was cleared to play in late December 2025, when he played in the Rose Bowl against the University of Alabama. He has played at full capacity through the NFL preseason.
Cooper is currently listed as a backup on the Jets’ unofficial depth chart.
Cornerback D’Angelo Ponds was also drafted by the Jets in the second round as the 50th overall pick. Coming off a leg injury as well, Ponds missed the entirety of training camp, as well as the Jets’ three preseason games. Head coach Aaron Glenn has indicated that Ponds is on track to play again but will not start.
The Baltimore Ravens selected wide receiver Elijah Sarratt in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL draft. In his collegiate career, Sarratt was a perimeter receiver who recorded 31 receptions across 40 games and caught three passes for 28 yards during the 2025 National Championship game against the University of Miami.
In the NFL preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sarratt led the team with six receptions on seven targets for 66 receiving yards. He is not projected to start for the Ravens, and analysts predict he is a developmental prospect this season.
Linebacker Micah McFadden is entering his fifth year with the New York Giants, having graduated from Indiana in 2022 under head coach Tom Allen. McFadden was a star linebacker and team captain for Indiana, earning All-American and Big 10 honors before entering the NFL.
McFadden was out for the majority of the 2025 season due to a severe foot injury. He underwent surgery in September and has since made a significant recovery. He is currently playing on a one-year contract extension and is the top backup linebacker behind Tremaine Edmunds.
“I'm excited,” McFadden said in an interview to the New York Post on Aug. 14. “Feeling ready to go play.”
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Myles Price will be returning for his second season after a record-breaking rookie year. In 2025, he ran for 1,479 kickoff return yards, the most in Vikings history. He is currently listed as the starting punt returner and kickoff returner, as well as backup wide receiver behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
Five more rookies from Indiana football will enter the NFL this week: Kaelon Black (RB, San Francisco 49ers), Riley Nowakowski (TE/FB, Pittsburgh Steelers), Aiden Fisher (LB, Houston Texans), Pat Coogan (OL, Tennessee Titans), and Kahlil Benson (OL, Kansas City Chiefs).
Another seven players will be returning this season: Ian Thomas (TE, Las Vegas Raiders), Marcelino McCrary-Ball (LB, New York Jets), Kurtis Rourke (QB, San Francisco 49ers), CJ West (DT, San Francisco 49ers), Luke Haggard (OL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Dan Feeney (OL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers), and Ke’Shawn Williams (WR, Cincinnati Bengals).
