Indiana Hoosiers Send School-Record 9 Players to NFL Combine

National champion Hoosiers make strong showing at annual scouting event

Mar. 2, 2026 at 9:31pm

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The national champion Indiana Hoosiers sent a school-record 9 players to the NFL's annual scouting combine in Indianapolis, led by Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza who is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft. The large contingent from Indiana is a significant increase from just 1-2 players in recent years, highlighting the Hoosiers' rise as a football powerhouse.

Why it matters

Indiana's strong showing at the combine underscores the program's rapid ascent, going from having minimal representation to sending a school-record 9 players in just a couple years. This reflects the Hoosiers' success in developing talent and building a nationally competitive team, which could translate to even more NFL draft picks and further boost the program's profile.

The details

The 9 Indiana players at the combine include likely No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, safety Louis Moore, linebacker Aaron Casey, quarterback Kurtis Rourke, defensive lineman CJ West, receiver Elijah Sarratt, tight end Eli Stowers, linebacker Sonny Styles, and cornerback D'Angelo Ponds. While Indiana still trails powerhouses like Ohio State and Georgia in combine invites, the Hoosiers are quickly closing the gap and establishing themselves as a premier football program.

  • The Hoosiers won their first national championship less than 2 months ago.
  • Indiana sent just 1-2 players to the combine in recent years prior to this record 9-player contingent.

The players

Fernando Mendoza

The Heisman Trophy winner is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Louis Moore

A safety who started his career at Indiana before spending a season at Ole Miss.

Aaron Casey

A linebacker who was Indiana's lone representative at the combine 2 years ago.

Kurtis Rourke

The Hoosiers' quarterback who attended the combine last year.

CJ West

A defensive lineman who also attended the combine last year.

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What they’re saying

“It's amazing, because a couple years ago, I don't think we had anybody come here. So, the fact that we've got nine here, it's something special.”

— Louis Moore, Safety

“That was my first time playing (16) games in the season, so I kind of played an NFL season. But going against those powerhouses that you go against in the playoffs, starting with Ohio State in the Big Ten championship and then going from Alabama, Oregon, to Miami. Every weekend in the NFL, you're playing a great team, a team that wants to win.”

— Elijah Sarratt, Receiver

What’s next

In April, the Hoosiers could break another school record by having more players selected in the NFL Draft than their previous highs of 7 in 1976 and 6 in 1944.

The takeaway

Indiana's strong showing at the NFL Combine underscores the program's remarkable turnaround, going from minimal representation to sending a school-record 9 players in just a couple years. This reflects the Hoosiers' success in developing talent and building a nationally competitive team, which could translate to even more NFL draft picks and further boost the program's profile.