Sportswear brand Adidas announced the signing of 14 prospective NFL rookies to endorsement deals ahead of the draft.
In fact, the list of endorsers released March 23 includes Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza of the Indiana Hoosiers and five other players who won national championships.
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Mendoza, who had an NIL deal with Adidas at Indiana, signed alongside teammates in cornerback D’Angelo Ponds and wide receiver Elijah Sarratt. As a result of their play, the Hoosiers won the school’s first national championship in football, defeating the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff title game.
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Also, three members of the Ohio State Buckeyes’ 2024 national title team signed with Adidas. Specifically, safety Caleb Downs, linebacker Arvell Reese and wide receiver Carnell Tate joined the fold.
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The X account of Nice Kicks, a sneaker-enthusiast platform, shared the news.
adidas announces the signing of 14 players to its 2026 NFL rookie class:
– Fernando Mendoza | QB | Indiana
– Arvell Reese | LB | Ohio State
– Carnell Tate | WR | Ohio State
– Caleb Downs | S | Ohio State
– Rueben Bain Jr. | DE | Miami
– Jordyn Tyson | WR | Arizona State
-… pic.twitter.com/glsV4QybTZ
— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) March 23, 2026
Meanwhile, here is the full list of prospective NFL rookies:
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Fernando Mendoza | QB | Indiana
Arvell Reese | LB | Ohio State
Carnell Tate | WR | Ohio State
Caleb Downs | S | Ohio State
Rueben Bain Jr. | DE | Miami
Jordyn Tyson | WR | Arizona State
Makai Lemon | WR | USC
Kenyon Sadiq | TE | Oregon
Jacob Rodriguez | LB | Texas Tech
Denzel Boston | WR | Washington
KC Concepcion | WR | Texas A&M
D’Angelo Ponds | DB | Indiana
Jonah Coleman | RB | Washington
Elijah Sarratt | WR | Indiana
Ultimately, Mendoza is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. Additionally, the three Ohio State players, Bain, Tyson and Sadiq are expected to be first-round picks.
According to a , “adidas welcomed members of the class to its U.S. headquarters for the brand’s first adidas Football Pro Day — an immersive experience designed to give the incoming partners a first look at what a partnership with the brand means, while also preparing them for their professional careers.”
Finally, the 2026 NFL Draft will begin with first-round selections on April 23 in Pittsburgh. Coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network as well as the ESPN app.
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