The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft has come and gone, and the Indiana Hoosiers have made history.
Entering the 2026 draft, Indiana had previously only seen 14 players drafted in the first round in program history. It had also been 31 years since IU saw its last first rounder go from Bloomington to the NFL. The last Hoosier taken in the first round came back in 1994 when WR Thomas Lewis was selected with No. 24 overall pick by the New York Giants.
Furthermore, Indiana entered the 2026 draft having never had multiple players drafted in the first round of the same NFL Draft. Needless to say, Hoosier football fans weren't too accustomed to seeing their team well-represented in the first round of NFL Drafts throughout the years.
But that has changed.
Indiana has multiple first round picks for the first time in program history
With Fernando Mendoza going No. 1 overall to the Raiders, and Omar Cooper Jr. going No. 30 overall to the Jets, the Indiana football program is now in unchartered waters. Mendoza and Cooper are now the first pair of Hoosier teammates to be selected in the first round of the same NFL Draft in IU program history.
There was never really much doubt about Mendoza going No. 1 overall to the Raiders. Cooper's draft fate was a bit more up in the air, as he was projected as a late first rounder or an early second rounder. With multiple wide receivers getting picked in the middle of the opening round, it seemed like Cooper might fall to Day 2. But the Jets snagged him with the No. 30 overall selection to give Hoosier fans plenty to cheer about.
Fernando Mendoza is already a fan favorite in Las Vegas
It's quite the accomplishment, and shows just how far the program has come under Cignetti's leadership. Just two seasons ago before Cignetti came to Bloomington, Indiana sent just one player (LB Aaron Casey) to the NFL Combine. This past February, the Hoosiers sent nine players to the combine, which was a program record. Now with Mendoza and Cooper officially first round picks, Indiana is poised for an NFL Draft takeover.
More Hoosier selections are on the way. Remaining NFL hopefuls from IU include S D'Angelo Ponds, WR Elijah Sarratt, LB Aiden Fisher, RB Kaelon Black, RB Roman Hemby, S Louis Moore, EDGE Mikail Kamara, C Pat Coogan, and TE Riley Nowakowski. The Hoosiers could also have multiple players sign with NFL Teams as undrafted free agents when it's all said and done.
As the draft action rolls on, be sure to follow all of the Hoosier landing spots with our Indiana 2026 NFL Draft Tracker.
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