Indiana football finally broke its NFL Draft drought this year as former defensive tackle CJ West and quarterback Kurtis Rourke heard their names called. But the Hoosiers' player development and talent influx could have them on track for an even more successful 2026 NFL Draft season if current projections come to fruition.
On Friday, ESPN's Matt Miller and Jordan Reid released their [top-five NFL prospects at every position](https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2026/story/_/id/45532124/nfl-draft-2026-top-five-every-position-players-watch) ahead of the 2025 campaign. Two Hoosiers landed inside the top-five at their respective positions, while one more player fell just outside and was tabbed as a prospect to watch.
At quarterback, **Fernando Mendoza** was ranked as the No. 3 QB prospect by Miller and No. 5 by Reid. The top-five in both rankings included the same players as Mendoza was grouped alongside Penn State's Drew Allar, Clemson's Cade Klubnik, South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers and LSU's Garrett Nussmeier.
At cornerback, **D'Angelo Ponds** slotted in at No. 5 in Miller's rankings but was not included in Reid's rankings. The All-American is in the same draft conversation as Tennessee's Jermod McCoy, Clemson's Avieon Terrell and Texas' Malik Muhammad
At wide receiver, **Elijah Sarratt** went unranked but mentioned as a player to watch due to his size, catch radius and overall feel for the position. "The 6-2, 210-pound Sarratt has big breakout potential, especially with quarterback Fernando Mendoza transferring in from Cal," Miller wrote. "Sarratt had 53 catches for 987 yards and eight touchdowns last season and fits the mold of Texans star receiver [Nico Collins](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4258173/nico-collins), with excellent body positioning and tough hands in traffic."
Sarratt's comparison to Collins is intriguing as the former Michigan star was selected in the 3rd Round in the 2021 NFL Draft. While Collins is physically bigger at 6-foot-4 and 222 pounds compared to Sarratt's 6-foot-2 and 209 pounds, both made a name for themselves as physical possession receivers who are matchup nightmares in one-on-one coverage.
Ponds continues to be a polarizing draft prospect depending on the analyst or media outlet. A former Freshman All-American at James Madison, Ponds thrived in his transition to a higher level as he quickly emerged as one of the Big Ten's lockdown cornerbacks. However, at 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds Ponds' positional fit in the NFL remains a question. Some NFL Draft analysts think Ponds ends up as a nickel corner due to his size, while others believe he has the skills to stay as outside cornerback.
Mendoza has quickly risen draft boards this offseason after transferring from Cal to Indiana. The 6-foot-5, 225 pounder has the prototypical size of an NFL quarterback with clear arm talent to play at the next level. If he can successfully make the jump to the Big Ten and perform well against high-end Big Ten defenses, the NFL may not be out of the question in 2026 despite Mendoza still having two years of eligibility remaining.