Week 5 brought a little bit of everything for former IU players across the NFL, from a debut in Las Vegas to another busy afternoon for Myles Price in Minnesota.
The headliner was Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick, who finally got on the field for the Raiders. He logged 10 offensive snaps in his NFL debut and finished 6-of-8 for 48 yards, adding one carry for 3 yards. His season line now sits at one game, 10 offensive snaps, 6-of-8 passing for 48 yards, and one carry for 3 yards.
Mendoza also had a hand in one of the week’s other IU notes. Ian Thomas caught a 9-yard pass from Mendoza, his lone reception of the day.
Thomas was on the field for 24 offensive snaps and eight special teams snaps. Through five games, he has played 126 offensive snaps and caught four passes for 52 yards and a touchdown.
Price kept piling up touches for Minnesota. He played 14 offensive snaps and seven special teams snaps, returning three kickoffs for 83 yards and two punts for 57 yards.
He also added three catches for 20 yards. On the season, Price has emerged as one of the busiest former Hoosiers in the league: 57 offensive snaps, 45 special teams snaps, 17 kick returns for 506 yards, 11 punt returns for 238 yards and a touchdown, plus one carry for 2 yards and five receptions for 26 yards.
A few other former IU players saw limited action in Week 5. Micah McFadden was out there for two defensive snaps and 21 special teams snaps for the Giants.
Riley Nowakowski played five offensive snaps and 18 special teams snaps for the Steelers and recorded one total tackle. Pat Coogan was used on one special teams snap for the Titans.
In San Francisco, Kaelon Black got 11 offensive snaps and turned six carries into 16 yards. Kurtis Rourke did not play and was inactive, while CJ West was also inactive and remains on injured reserve. West’s season total stands at two games, 49 defensive snaps, five special teams snaps, five tackles and one solo stop.
The Jets had a mixed week for former Hoosiers. D’Angelo Ponds played two defensive snaps and nine special teams snaps.
Omar Cooper, Jr. remained on injured reserve and did not play, while Marcelino McCrary-Ball was inactive on injured reserve. McCrary-Ball’s season includes three games, five defensive snaps, 26 special teams snaps, one tackle and one forced fumble.
Elsewhere, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine played seven offensive snaps and 17 special teams snaps for the Colts. Dan Feeney logged one offensive snap and two special teams snaps for the Buccaneers, while Luke Haggard was inactive.
Elijah Sarratt was inactive for the Ravens. Aiden Fisher did not play for the Texans.
Kahlil Benson had a bye week with the Chiefs.
Roman Hemby was elevated from the practice squad for the first time with the Raiders but was inactive.
Ke’Shawn Williams remains on the Bengals’ practice squad and has appeared in one game, with nine special teams snaps.
In Other News...
Indianas Biggest Ohio State Concern Just Became Hard To Ignore
Indiana football got a useful road win at Nebraska, but Curt Cignetti made it clear the Big Ten grind does not ease up from here. With Ohio State next on the schedule, the focus has quickly shifted from celebrating one hard-earned result to preparing for a far bigger test, and Cignetti pointed to the kind of details that tend to decide games at this level. He praised Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith as an exceptional player, a compliment that comes with plenty of weight when a coach starts game-planning for one of the conferences most dangerous offenses.
Cignetti also used the Nebraska game as a reminder of what Indiana still needs to clean up before facing Ohio State. He cited missed defensive assignments and a limited running game, noting that the ground attack was affected by the conditions and by Nebraskas defense. For Indiana, the challenge is now less about carrying momentum and more about proving it can sharpen the rough edges quickly enough to hang with a Buckeyes team that punishes hesitation. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Faces One Harsh Reality Ahead Of Ohio State
Indiana has made real progress on the recruiting trail, and the 2025 and 2026 rosters reflect a program that is climbing, even if the climb is still steep. A position-by-position look at the 247Sports composite data shows a more competitive Indiana group than in years past, the kind of roster construction that suggests the Hoosiers are not standing still as they head into a marquee matchup.
Still, the comparison with Ohio State drives home the gap Indiana is trying to close. The Buckeyes simply have more highly ranked prospects across the board and far fewer unranked players, which is the harsh reality facing Indiana as it prepares for the game. For the Hoosiers, the next step is not just recruiting better, but building enough roster depth and high-end talent to make these kinds of meetings feel less lopsided. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Gets An Early Test As Mike Woodson's New Roster Debuts
Indianas new-look roster will get an immediate checkpoint this fall when the Hoosiers visit Butler for an exhibition game on Oct. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. It gives Mike Woodson a first real chance to see how his second Indiana team fits together against another program that has also spent the offseason reshaping its lineup, with Butler now under first-year coach Ronald Nored.
For Indiana, the setting matters almost as much as the matchup. An exhibition in a place like Hinkle offers a controlled early read on chemistry, roles and pace before the games count, and it also adds a familiar local edge to a roster that will be under the microscope from the start. The matchup lands well before the full 2026-27 schedule unfolds, but it should still tell a lot about where the Hoosiers are headed and how quickly the pieces are coming together. [Read more 🡒]